Big rig crash, Perris bridge collapse delay $102-million project

The northbound 215 Freeway in Perris could be closed until 10 p.m. Tuesday after a big rig hit part of the bridge and overturned, authorities said.

The big rig carrying sand smashed into the wooden scaffolding of the new Perris Boulevard bridge about 10 a.m. and toppled the north side of the bridge, sending crisscrossed wooden planks onto the highway. No one was injured.

California Highway Patrol officials said the 215’s northbound lanes could be closed until 10 p.m. while engineers check the integrity of the bridge’s foundation.

“Hopefully that’s a worst-case scenario,” said John Standiford, deputy executive director for the Riverside County Transportation Commission, which is overseeing the work. “We’re trying to assess the extent of the damage, how long it will take to ensure the freeway is safe to continue service and pretty much go from there.”

The overpass widening is part of a $102-million, 12-1/2 mile freeway widening project between Interstate 15 and California 60 that will add one lane in both directions. The entire project started in 2013 and was expected to be completed by mid-2015. It’s unclear how long the collapse will set the project back, officials said.

The west side of the bridge was completed in January, according to the commission. Crews were preparing to pour concrete onto the bridge’s wooden scaffolding Tuesday night until the crash, Standiford said.

The collapse temporarily shut down the entire freeway before engineers cleared the southbound lanes for traffic about noon.

Once completed, the freeway’s widening is expected to cumulatively save commuters 4,600 hours and 2,000 gallons of gas a day.

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