The Alabama Department of Transportation reopened part of Interstate 65 in Shelby County that was closed after an overhead bridge was struck by an excavator on a trailer. But the struck bridge remains partly closed.
The CR-87 bridge over I-65 was struck in the morning August 25, according to the ALDOT website. The interstate’s southbound lanes were closed to remove concrete debris, and the CR-87 bridge was closed to traffic.
ALDOT crews later cut away the remaining damaged rebar of the CR-87 bridge, and an investigation was conducted by the ALDOT Emergency Bridge Inspection Team.
The southbound I-65 lanes were reopened later that evening, while the southbound lane of the CR-87 will remain closed for several weeks as ALDOT works to repair the damage.
Local media also reported that two people were injured in the crash that damaged the bridge, with one listed as critically injured. Calera Mayor Kenny Dale Cost told ABC33/40 three to four vehicles were damaged in the crash.
Photos from that same ABC33/40 report show a damaged, 27-ton Volvo CE ECR235EL excavator at the scene of the crash. The excavator appears to have a damaged boom.
A separate report from WBRC quoted Calera Fire Chief Sean Kendrick as saying the excavator was being carried by an 18-wheeler truck at the time of the crash and that debris falling from the bridge and hitting the windshield of a passing car left one person with several injuries.
