Excavator on Trailer Destroys Highway Overpass at Interstate Speeds

      Hidalgo County Fire Rescue District 1

      I’m not very tall, so I never have to worry about hitting my head on anything, not even the bottom of airplane overhead compartments (feel free to dislike me if you didn’t already). In Lordsburg, New Mexico, a driver seems to have forgotten about their vehicle’s above-average height, as they failed to clear an overpass, exposing the now-damaged underside of the bridge in a state of construction neglect.

      The Hidalgo County Fire Rescue District 1 reported that Exit 24 on westbound Interstate 10 was severely damaged due to a commercial vehicle transporting an excavator on a trailer. Not only did the vehicle exceed the height limitation, but the load was also oversized. Fire officials have confirmed that there were no human fatalities, but they likely mean that neither the excavator nor the bridge survived this incident.

      The extent of the damage to the excavator is clear. Colliding with the overpass at highway speeds (75 mph in this area), the crushed vehicle is deemed a total loss. The bridge also appears to be in dire condition, as it’s visibly bowing. However, is it salvageable? Along with being too short to go on most rides, I lack a degree in engineering. Therefore, I consulted an expert who does.

      According to my source, a principal engineer licensed in California and Nevada, the I-10 overpass is classified as a post-tension bridge. In technical terms, the bridge is considered “catastrophically damaged and unrepairable.”

      The cables depicted in the photos are high-strength steel “tendons” that were laid out before the concrete was poured. Once the concrete cured, the cables were tensioned and anchored, creating internal compressive stress to counteract external stress, like the weight of moving vehicles. Since those cables were severed, there is minimal tension and support left in the structure. The girders, which provide most of the bridge’s structural integrity, are also beyond repair.

      "I’m honestly surprised it’s still standing," he remarked. When I inquired about the possibility of retrofitting, he quickly dismissed the idea. “I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t touch that with a 10-foot pole.”

      When the interstate highway system was created, the minimum vertical height clearance was set at 14 feet by the U.S. Department of Transportation. In later years, the U.S. Department of Defense suggested a 17-foot clearance to accommodate larger military equipment that couldn’t be moved by rail, such as the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile. The compromise became 16 feet, although clearances can go higher. The New Mexico overpass allows vehicles up to 16 feet and 9 inches. Therefore, this incident wasn’t a case of a low bridge and a high truck.

      The driver is in significant trouble, and the transport company cannot escape responsibility for the damage to the bridge. Although the overpass didn’t collapse and potentially harm others traveling on the interstate, the structure will need to be torn down and rebuilt. This reconstruction will take over a year and will cost millions.

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