codyg1985’s Think Tank

A 413-foot interstate bridge in the junction was destroyed Oct. 21 by an exploding tanker-truck. Since then, some lanes have been open to traffic.

All lanes of Interstate 20/59 in the junction and the I-65 north ramp to I-20/59 south will be closed from 5 a.m. Wednesday until 5 a.m. Thursday.

Alabama Department of Transportation officials warn that because of the nature of the work, traffic could snarl more than normal on I-65 northbound into Malfunction Junction during the Wednesday morning rush hours, 6 until 9.

At 3 a.m. Wednesday, trucks will begin hauling 160-foot-long girders from Sherman Bridge Co. in Pelham to the bridge work site.

Each truck can haul one girder, and four trucks are capable of hauling them, DOT Birmingham Division Engineer J.F. Horsley said. Twelve girders are to be moved up the interstate.

The trucks will be escorted by six state troopers. Cranes will remove the girders from the trucks and set them across the bridge span.

Horsley said “there’s a possibility” that the hauling could continue until morning rush hours. The trucks will have to haul the girders along I-65 up Shades Mountain and that will be a slow go, state troopers say.

“We don’t want to be out there at peak hours, but this is emergency bridge repair,” Horsley said. “We’ve got an interstate blocked.”

DOT rules ordinarily prohibit the trucks hauling the girders during rush hours, but not with this work.

“We recognize the inconvenience caused by this unfortunate accident, but everyone is working diligently to restore normal traffic operations through the interchange area,” said DOT Director Joe McInnes.

The Morris Group and Brasfield & Gorrie were awarded a $5.45 million contract on Oct. 29. They have a Dec. 31 deadline to complete the bridge.