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Hospital St. hit-and-run will create minor traffic delays through winter

A hit and run New Years Eve has damaged the Hospital Street overpass, and will create some traffic delays through the winter months.

Today between 11 am and 2 pm the right northbound lane will close so an engineer can assess the repairs needed to be done.

The right westbound lane will also remain closed for the rest of the winter until it can be repaired in the spring.

Alberta Transportation will continue to monitor traffic through the area and make adjustments if necessary.

Since the bridge is not considered a high traffic location, officials do not believe the winter lane closure will cause significant traffic disruptions.

If you have any further information you are asked to contact the police.

January 2nd, 2013

BACKGROUND INFO:

An investigation continues into a hit and run that damaged the Hospital Street overpass on Highway 63.

It happened around 9pm New Years Eve.

The suspected vehicle has been described by witnesses as a semi hauling a larger backhoe on a flatbed trailer.

The backhoe collided with the overpass.

Because the overpass sustained serious damage that compromised its structural integrity, Carillion has been involved.

Traffic was rerouted both Monday and Tuesday, and later this afternoon one lane will be closed for further assessment by an engineer.

The area has become a construction zone, and vehicles are asked to treat it as such.

If you have any further information you are asked to contact the police.

UPDATE Jan 1 @ 4pm: Hospital Street overpass and Hwy 63 has been re-opened. Debris removed and road sanded.

UPDATE Jan 1 @ 2pm: Three of the four lanes on the Hospital Street overpass have been re-opened and one highway lane is expected to be operational by nightfall.

UPDATE Jan 1 @ 9am: RCMP have been notified that one lane of traffic, on the northbound side of Highway 63, has been declared safe and re-opened. Signs have been posted. Traffic delays are expected to continue as the other northbound lane remains closed as well as the bridge. Motorists are advised to proceed with caution.

A New Year’s eve hit and run has closed the Hospital Street overpass until further notice.

The RCMP believe the significant damage to the bridge over the northbound lanes of HWY 63 was caused by a tractor trailer hauling an oversized load that did not clear the Hospital Street bridge. The driver left the scene without calling police. According to police, this incident likely took place sometime between 8:30 pm and 9:00 pm this evening.

An Engineer will have to assess the damage prior to traffic being allowed to resume over and under the affected areas and police say this inspection may not take place until Wednesday (January 2) in the afternoon.

Residents in the Abasand and Grayling Terrace areas will have to enter and exit through the by-passes, given that the bridge is also closed to traffic.

Major traffic delays are expected on this main traffic route.

If you have information please call the Wood Buffalo RCMP at (780) 788-4000.

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Full release from the RCMP
“The Wood Buffalo RCMP have been alerted to a possible hit and run collision to the Hospital Street overpass on Highway 63 in Fort McMurray. Shortly before 9:00 pm, on December 31, 2012, police were notified of significant damage to the bridge over the northbound lanes that is believed to have been caused by a tractor trailer hauling an oversized load that did not clear the bridge. Police have received reports of concrete chunks falling onto the highway lanes and a preliminary inspection has revealed damage to several beams. The suspect vehicle fled the scene without filing a collision report and police are looking to the public for any information on this incident that is likely to have occurred sometime between 8:30 pm and 9:00 pm this evening.

 

Carillion has been engaged in the matter and the determination to shutdown traffic under and over the bridge has been made. Due to safety and structural integrity considerations this road closure is effective immediately and pertains to northbound traffic on Highway 63 which will be re-routed over the by-pass. Residents in the Abasand and Grayling Terrace areas will have to enter and exit through the by-passes, given that the bridge is also closed to traffic.

 

The RCMP have been advised that an Engineer will have to assess the damage prior to traffic being allowed to resume over and under the affected areas. This inspection is not expected to take place before the afternoon on Wednesday, January 2, 2013. Updates will be provided as they become available. Motorists are advised to plan ahead, and leave themselves even more time to get to their intended destinations as this road closure is expected to create significant traffic delays. Drivers are also encouraged to be patient and alert to signs that are being posted to indicating safe and alternate routes of travel.

If you have information please call the Wood Buffalo RCMP at (780) 788-4000.

You can also contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 1.800.222.8477 (TIPS), by internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

Posted January 1