Saskatchewan sees 4th overpass strike in less than a month

It’s the fourth time in less than a month that a large vehicle has collided with an overpass in Saskatchewan. Three of those incidents have been reported in Saskatoon.

Yet another Saskatoon overpass has been struck by an oversized vehicle. This time, a train bridge overpass on Circle Drive was hit, just metres from where a similar collision happened about two weeks ago.

It’s the fourth time in less than a month that a large vehicle has collided with an overpass in Saskatchewan. Three of those incidents have been reported in Saskatoon.

This latest overpass strike happened on Circle Drive, between Attridge Drive and 108th Street. Traffic was flowing again in both lanes after being reduced to just one lane as crews inspected the damage.

The collision follows another incident involving oversized equipment at Highway 16 and Highway 11 on March 5. A similar incident followed that about a week later, when an overpass was struck at 108th Street.

Then, on March 16, another overpass was hit east of Moose Jaw.

“Compliance has got to be a priority for the trucking industry. There are permits that they are supposed to purchase to move over-height equipment. If they are over 4.15 metres, they need a permit,” said Susan Ewart, executive director of the Saskatchewan Trucking Association.

Those permits clearly state where a driver needs to go and the best way to get there.

“If companies are trying to move their own equipment and they’re not following some of the same regulations as those carriers in that space… they typically know what those rules are,” Ewart said.