Tractor-Trailer Hits Bridge on 126 Freeway

SATICOY — Traffic was brought to a halt Friday afternoon when a tractor-trailer hit the deck of a bridge on the Santa Paula Freeway near Saticoy.

The 3:30 p.m. accident at the Edwards Ranch Road overpass sent concrete tumbling to the freeway, which closed down an eastbound lane for almost eight hours, according to a California Highway Patrol spokeswoman.

“A truck with a high load tried to pass underneath the bridge. It was higher than what the bridge would allow,” said Dave Servaes, a Caltrans regional manager.

Caltrans crews cleared the debris from the roadway, and a special team of engineers spent Friday evening assessing damage to the bridge, said Servaes.

Some bridges in Southern California have a long history of being hit by trucks that are too tall or have been loaded beyond a span’s height limits, said Servaes.

Friday’s incident did not affect the columns of the bridge, and an initial investigation indicated there had not been any structural damage, he said .

Both eastbound lanes were expected to be open by 11 p.m. Friday, the CHP spokeswoman said.