Young Road overpass in NLR remains closed after wreck
This article was originally published March 8, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. Updated March 8, 2013 at 11:09 a.m.
PHOTO BY GAVIN LESNICK
Highway department crews work to brace the Young Road overpass at Interstate 40 late Friday morning.
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The Young Road overpass at Interstate 40 in North Little Rock that was closed Thursday after a fiery wreck involving a semi remained shut late Friday morning, but officials said they hoped to open it again after highway crews put bracing in place.
Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department spokesman Danny Straessle said crews would inspect the span beginning Friday morning with the intention of reopening it. There will be a weight limit in place, however.
"We can't have semis coming across the top of it," Straessle said, noting the precise weight limit will be determined in the Friday inspection.
By late morning, the right-hand, westbound lane of traffic had been closed, concrete barriers had been set up and construction crews were working at the overpass to install hydraulic jacks to stabilize the span. The work was not slowing traffic on the interstate.
The highway department said in a statement that it's "still unclear" when the bridge will be reopened. Straessle said the plan was to do so at some point Friday, but it depended on the progress made by crews in the area.
Interstate 40 was closed in both directions for a time and then for several more hours for westbound traffic. Straessle said crews inspected the bridge Thursday to make sure it was not in danger of collapsing before allowing I-40 traffic back under it.
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