By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
Damage done when a tractor-trailer rig went off a bridge on Interstate 135 (I-135) in October will be permanently repaired beginning Monday.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) announced today that what it called "emergency bridge repair" will begin Monday on the bridge, which is located on northbound I-135 over Interstate 70 (I-70).
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported that on Oct. 13, 2020, a 2013 Chrysler 300 pilot car driven by Darlene McCall, 57, Houston, Texas, was stopped on I-135 south of I-70 to allow a tractor-trailer rig with an oversized load to merge onto northbound U.S. Highway 81.
A 2016 Freightliner driven by Earl James Griffin, Jr., 61, Wichita, that was northbound on I-135 struck the Chrysler, traveled out of control across northbound lanes of I-135, and struck a concrete bridge railing.
The Freightliner continued through the bridge railing and vaulted onto the eastbound lanes of I-70 where it came to rest. A 2017 Dodge Ram driven by Durand L. Weidman, 65, Salina, was struck by debris that were falling onto I-70.
Ashley Perez, KDOT public affairs manager, told Salina Post this morning that at the time, the bridge was temporarily fixed and the northbound lane adjoining the damaged railing was closed.
The repairs scheduled to begin Monday will provide a permanent repair to the bridge, she said.
During construction, traffic will be reduced to one 13-foot lane on I-135, and alternate lane closures will occur on I-70 during the bridge repair, KDOT noted in a news release. Drivers should expect minimal delays and plan extra time in their travel schedules.
PCI Roads, LLC. of Saint Michael, Minn., is the prime contractor and has scheduled the $115,584 project to be completed in late March, weather permitting.
KDOT urges all motorists to be alert and obey the warning signs when approaching and driving through a highway work zone. To stay aware of all road construction projects across Kansas, go to www.kandrive.org or call 5-1-1.