(ANCHORAGE, Alaska) – The southbound lanes of the Glenn Highway remain closed at mile 13, near Eagle River. Yesterday, the Artillery Road Bridge over the Glenn Highway was severely damaged when it was struck by a truck with an overheight load. The closure is estimated to last 3-5 days.

The bridge is not safe to travel under due to damage to a girder. The concrete around the girder was crushed when it was hit, so while the concrete remains in place, there is no structural integrity on this part of the bridge. Traffic above the bridge is being shifted away from the damaged girder. The concern is that the 200,000-pound bridge girder could potentially fall onto the Glenn Highway.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-responsive”]Traffic is experiencing lengthy delays. If you must travel through this area, expect detours and delays. Southbound traffic into Anchorage is currently being detoured at the North Eagle River exit, through Eagle River and back to the Glenn Highway from Hiland Road. This emergency detour was implemented last night after it was determined that it was not safe to travel under the bridge. This continues to be a developing situation. All detour solutions are currently being reviewed and a new detour route will be announced in the near future.

All staff are working diligently to get the highway open as quickly as is safely possible. The Glenn Highway is a vital transportation route and traffic is greatly inconvenienced by the delays. Emergency repairs are in the works to remove the damaged span in the next few days, allowing the road to reopen. At this time repairs are estimated at $1.8 million.

Anchorage Police Department is investigating the incident. The Department of Transportation & Public Facilities is assisting with the investigation.

Updates will be posted at 511.Alaska.Gov and at www.dot.alaska.gov/glennhighwayoverpass.

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