Semi Hauling Excavator Hits Bridge over I-10 in New Mexico

[pegarrett]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/10-west-near-lordsburg-closed-183814891.html

100% loss of prestressing strands in 3 of the beams. 40 strands per beam.

Apparently the semi was going 75mph at the time of impact.

 

[EdStainless]

I sure hope that heads roll.
16'9' and he hit it?
That is ridiculous.

 

[LittleInch]

Loks like there aren't too many bridges on I10?

But 16' 9 is more than the min by a margin.

Maybe not in NM?

 

[SinStrucEng]

Rest in piece(s), excavator. You went out with a bang.

 

[SWComposites]

not really an Engineering failure.

 

[Sym P. le]

Maybe we should be engineering built in height monitoring, as in built into the truck cab?

 

[spsalso]

Kinda "poetic", hitting it just below the clearance sign.

If'n I was a truck driver, I might not pay a LOT of attention when I'm hauling a standard height trailer. But did the driver not even consider that he was hauling a high load that might take special attention? Seems kinda obvious, when you approach the truck to go to work.

Of course, it's possible no one ever checked the height of the load, let alone informing the driver. I'm even leaning towards probable.

spsalso

 

[waross]

The truckers GPS models allow you to program your height and length, and will keep you away from low clearance.
I thought that everyone had one by now.
Of course, if you forget to program the height of your load...........

 

[FacEngrPE]

To program the height in the GPS it needs to be measured.

 

[Garbage1]

Apparently this load height measuring stick technology may be too challenging for those with 'limited talent'.....................

 

[TugboatEng]

I wonder if it made it through any weigh stations.

 

[waross]

I wonder if it made it through any weigh stations.

So many are now closed and of those open many are on restricted hours. (Indiana to North Dakota).

 

[TugboatEng]

Remote work?

 

[IRstuff]

That load wasn't just a wee bit too tall for 16'9"; there was sufficient non-clearance to knock the excavator silly. It was likely around a foot over the limit.

And, of course, trucks are traveling a lot faster these days, which no doubt contributed to the damage

 

[tdmidget]

The machine does not have a bucket installed but rather what looks like a clamp for rail. It has flanged wheels on the undercarriage inside the tracks so I'm guessing a railroad roadway contractor. Anyone recognize the logo on the front of it?

 

[FacEngrPE]

Some video​

I-10 Bridge Collision in New Mexico
Casey Jones -
Per NM Vdot span will be contracted for replacement soon. Entire bridge was already scheduled for reconstruction in 2027​

 

[LittleInch]

It's all a bit odd.

NM DOT max vehicle height is 14 ft (4.2m).
Max Federal bridge clearance is apparently 16 feet.

So why is the bridge warning at 16ft 9 inches when this is above the max clearances and 2 feet 9 above max vehicle height??

Prob wouldn't have made a difference, but does the US not have speed limiters or tachograph in large trucks? It seems not, but it's been common in Europe at generally 90 kph (56 mph) and 100 for coaches (62 mph)

 

[human909]

Prob wouldn't have made a difference, but does the US not have speed limiters or tachograph in large trucks? It seems not, but it's been common in Europe at generally 90 kph (56 mph) and 100 for coaches (62 mph)

That is unconstitutional. It is something you Europeans might not understand, it is the second and three eights amendment.

 

[waross]

but does the US not have speed limiters or tachograph in large trucks?

Driving my own 1 ton truck under contract to a trucking company, my speed and my exact location as per onboard GPS was transmitted to the trucking company's Compliance Officer in real time, with a delay of a couple of seconds.
Severe braking would trigger an immediate alert on the CO's computer.
A comment by the CO in regards to an accident;
"We don't know how fast the driver was going at the time of the crash, but he was doing 62.5 mph 3 seconds before the crash."
Also my dash cam recorded my exact speed and GPS coordinates.
Company owned trucks had more enhancements.
eg: My dash cam was mine and the company had no access to my dash cam.
In company trucks, the dash cam reported in real time and the CO could watch the picture from the dash cam of any company owned trucks.
The industry has moved far away from tachographs.

 

[Garbage1]

There is a Grapple on the end of excavator to lift something. After reading tdmidget's post about the wheels inside tracts on the excavator, train track work makes the most sense. Further grapple looks designed to lift something like train rails and ties, and not concrete barriers.

My understanding is that when transporting large excavators, you remove the bucket/grapple and counterweights to transport. In case of grapple on pivot mount, you would think they could lay grapple down on deck, such that end of arm is lower to deck, and not sitting on top of grapple. This grapple looks to be quick disconnect, and may or may not be on a pivot mount?

Clearly way over general limit, without having special permits for heights well above 14' general limit. Generally 13'6" east of Miss and 14' West, with some exceptions.

Or just lack of "Spatial Awareness" ?