Niagara Falls, N.Y. (WBEN) - "We're laser-focused on getting this bridge back open, but we also have to make sure that it's safe for everybody."
Crews with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) continue to work at repairing the bridge along Interstate 190, traveling Southbound over Niagara Falls Boulevard (State Route 62) in the City of Niagara Falls.
A detailed inspection of the bridge by NYSDOT officials revealed significant damage to the steel girders caused when a truck carrying a shipping container struck the underside of the overpass Thursday morning.
The collision marked the second time in recent months the bridge was struck by a commercial vehicle, resulting in further damage to the structure.
As a result, the I-190 Southbound in the vicinity of the bridge will remain closed until further notice, as NYSDOT expedites the design of a repair that will allow for a partial re-opening of the bridge.
NYSDOT spokesperson Ryan Whalen says while they do not currently have a timeline on re-opening the bridge, they hope to have some further clarity soon.
"We met this morning, we have another follow up meeting on Thursday. In the meantime, we have people out there examining the bridge, taking measurements. We're working with our structures team, and we are looking at ways to get that bridge up and functional for drivers again as soon as we possibly can, while ensuring that it's safe for everybody," said Whalen in an interview with WBEN.
Whalen says the damage to the steel girders was significant enough to the point where NYSDOT didn't feel comfortable having cars continue to drive over it until repairs could be made.
"Our engineers are taking a look at that, and as you might imagine, bridges are complicated, so it takes a while to make sure you diagnose it correctly and come up with the right plan. But we're trying to do that as quickly as possible," Whalen explained.
Whalen says the other incident with the I-190 South bridge at Niagara Falls Boulevard took place this past summer.
"I can tell you that one of our inspectors, I believe, noticed some damage that was clearly from a bridge strike that was not reported, and they then reported it and went out and checked it," Whalen detailed. "We were able to keep the bridge open in that case, we closed down a lane, I believe, and had been out there doing work on the bridge already when it was struck this time."
Whalen says that bridge is well within the clearance that's needed, and doesn't need marking because it's over 14 feet.
"What we really need is for these trucking companies to follow the laws they're supposed to be following. We have far too many bridge strikes across the state, and in many cases, it's because people driving their trucks are just not paying enough attention," Whalen noted. "That's something that we need to get the message out there, because obviously this is an important part of our infrastructure here in Western New York. People need to be able to use the I-190, and just a little extra attention can can save a lot of people a lot of headaches."
Whalen says NYSDOT has taken steps to try to mitigate traffic for those on the I-190 and Niagara Falls Boulevard.
"I know obviously it's going to take a little longer to go on the 190 now than it normally would be, and some people are feeling those pains," he said. "We have two on-ramps to the Southbound I-190 closed at Whitmer road and at the Packard entrance. That's to basically try to keep traffic flowing on Niagara Falls Boulevard and having less traffic come on to that part of I-190, to sort of mitigate the congestion. We've also done a little adjusting of the signal timing at some of the intersections around there and around Niagara Falls Boulevard to try to keep traffic flowing, but we're doing the best we can."
Motorists should be prepared for delays and seek alternate routes if possible. Otherwise, drivers should continue to follow the posted detour at Exit 22, utilizing Connecting Road to re-enter I-190 South after crossing the Niagara Falls Boulevard intersection.
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