What is it about bridges lately that has people wanting so much to slam into them? That’s the question City and County officials may be pondering, with a seeming increase in the number of bridge-related accidents throughout the area—and a special shout out goes to the 14th Street railroad bridge on the Corner, which wins the award for Most Likely to Be Struck By a Truck.
 There’s no backing out of this situation. When truck drivers hit bridges, as this one did to the 14th Street bridge recently, VDOT likes to send them (or their insurance company) the bill. |
VDOT Public Affairs Officer Lou Hatter, who oversees the Culpeper District, says while there’s no record for the number of bridge-related accidents throughout the region, he’s noticed an increase in the last year, with two that highlight the glaring reason you don’t want to hit a bridge: the cost. When a truck hit the Old Ivy Road bridge in June, the accident left structural damage that resulted in a $450,000 price tag—so far. In December, another unlucky driver struck the bridge under Route 17 and Interstate 66 in Fauquier County, and that cost could be equally high.
While VDOT absorbs the initial cost for the what is deemed “emergency work,” the final bill usually ends up in the mailbox of the sad soul who struck the bridge (or oftentimes, as in the case of the Old Ivy Road bridge, the sad soul’s insurance company). Of course, many times drivers will strike the bridge’s guard rails and take off, leaving VDOT or the City to come up with the money.
Which is why police don’t have a lot of patience for bridge-striking fools and their oversized vehicles. The 14th Street bridge is struck often, says Charlottesville Police Sgt. L.A. Durrette, despite an installed mechanical device that beeps loudly when an oversized vehicle is headed for the bridge, accidents there still occur. And when they do, there’s always a ticket involved. An accident could incur a moving violation, but Durrette points out that usually drivers are slapped with a reckless driving ticket that then sends them to court, where each ruling—and set of fines—will depend on the judge.
Anytime a bridge is hit, structural engineers with VDOT will arrive to determine if the structure is safe. In the case of the Old Ivy Road bridge, repair work could last for months, depending on the severity of the damage. Work there is ongoing and isn’t expected to be done until the next month—even longer should weather delays push back work.
If only you could blame it on the bridge.