I-77 bridge damaged after being struck: North ramp from Ohio 7 closed indefinitely
Traffic is directed off of Interstate 77 at Williamstown Wednesday morning after a piece of construction equipment on a truck struck the I-77 bridge over Ohio 7/Pike Street in Marietta, resulting in both northbound lanes being closed between the Williamstown and Marietta exits. (Photo by Gwen Sour)
This screenshot from an Ohio Department of Transportation camera shows workers inspecting the Interstate 77 bridge over Ohio 7/Pike Street Wednesday after a piece of construction equipment being hauled by a truck struck it that morning. (Photo provided by Ohio Department of Transportation)
West Virginia Division of Highways trucks block traffic from going on to Interstate 77 northbound out of Williamstown Wednesday morning. The northbound lanes between Williamstown and Marietta were closed after a piece of construction equipment on a truck struck the I-77 bridge over Ohio 7/Pike Street in Marietta. (Photo by Gwen Sour)
Traffic is directed off of Interstate 77 at Williamstown Wednesday morning after a piece of construction equipment on a truck struck the I-77 bridge over Ohio 7/Pike Street in Marietta, resulting in both northbound lanes being closed between the Williamstown and Marietta exits. (Photo by Gwen Sour)
This screenshot from an Ohio Department of Transportation camera shows workers inspecting the Interstate 77 bridge over Ohio 7/Pike Street Wednesday after a piece of construction equipment being hauled by a truck struck it that morning. (Photo provided by Ohio Department of Transportation)
West Virginia Division of Highways trucks block traffic from going on to Interstate 77 northbound out of Williamstown Wednesday morning. The northbound lanes between Williamstown and Marietta were closed after a piece of construction equipment on a truck struck the I-77 bridge over Ohio 7/Pike Street in Marietta. (Photo by Gwen Sour)
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No one was injured when a piece of construction equipment struck the Interstate 77 bridge over Pike Street Wednesday morning, but travel in the area will be affected as a result.
An excavator being hauled by a southbound tractor trailer struck the bridge as it passed under it around 8:10 a.m. Wednesday, according to Lt. Coy Lehman with the Marietta post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
"Debris from the bridge struck another vehicle," he said.
No injuries were reported, but the northbound lanes of I-77 were shut down between the Williamstown and Marietta exits so Ohio Department of Transportation personnel could evaluate the damage.The closure lasted about four hours, according to an ODOT news release.
Three bridge beams were damaged, the release said. A bridge engineer and inspectors determined that one lane could be reopened, but the I-77 north ramp from Ohio 7 remains closed indefinitely.
Traffic is being detoured via I-77 south to Williamstown and then onto I-77 north toward Marietta, the release said.
ODOT said it is working to develop an emergency contract for repairs to the bridge.
The truck was a 2017 Peterbilt owned by Westbrook Trucking of Belmont, W.Va. Driver Bradley Elder, 50, of St. Marys, was cited for a height violation, Lehman said.
In its release, ODOT reminded those hauling oversized loads that they must receive a permit and ensure the loads are appropriately secured in order to not pose a safety hazard or cause damage to infrastructure.