A historic covered bridge in Maine has been closed after an “overweight dump truck” fell on it, creating a large hole, authorities said.
The Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Facebook that the accident happened Friday afternoon on the Babbs Bridge between Gorham and Windham. The bridge is expected to be closed for several months, according to a press release.
The Gorham Police Department shared photos from the crash scene on Facebook and warned residents to find alternative routes.
“The excessive weight of the vehicle caused the wooden floor of the bridge structure to collapse,” the Facebook post said.
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Authorities say the overweight truck was crossing from Gorham to Windham, Maine, at the time. (Gorham Police Department)
“Motorists should be responsible for the cost of repairing the bridge. This bridge is not designed for heavy commercial vehicles,” one Facebook user commented on the police department’s post.
According to the Maine Department of Transportation, the state’s oldest bridge (built in 1840) has a weight limit of three tons. Police said the dump truck was loaded with crushed gravel, so the weight of the truck that caused the damage was likely “several times the stated weight limit.”
It was determined the truck entered the bridge from the Gorham side and went through the first panel of the bridge deck and into the river below.
Babbs Bridge is a one-lane, state-owned structure that spans the Presumpscot River. According to the Maine Department of Transportation, approximately 360 vehicles cross it daily.
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According to local news, the truck has been identified as a Ford F750 and was spotted in the Presumpscot River. (Gorham Police Department)
The bridge has had its fair share of troubles: After it was burned by vandals in 1973, Maine Department of Transportation workers rebuilt an exact replica that opened to traffic in 1976. In 2014, vandals again punched a hole in the bridge’s roof, and in 2015 the bridge was damaged by a snowplow.
The bridge is inspected by state officials at least every two years, with the last inspection taking place late last month, according to the Maine Department of Transportation. A three-ton weight limit was posted on the bridge in 1983 and has remained unchanged since.
Babb’s Bridge was originally built in 1840, but remains today as a replica completed in 1976. (Maine Department of Transportation)
The truck driver was identified as Joshua Polewaczyk, 37, of Lymington. He was driving a Ford F750. This was reported by local television station WMTW. He was able to escape the truck with minor injuries. When the truck was pulled from the river, a logo for an asphalt contractor, “The Driveway Guys,” was visible on the side of the truck.
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“The last time this bridge was damaged, police officials considered closing it to vehicles and only allowing pedestrians,” a local resident wrote in a post from the police department. “I hope they don’t move forward with that plan again this time. It’s about a mile from my house and I travel this way about 60% of the time.”
