The northbound lanes of the Interstate Bridge were temporarily closed for “emergency sign repair,” according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.
The closure was announced around 3:40 p.m., and the repairs were complete around 4 p.m., according to ODOT spokesman Don Hamilton. Northbound traffic was still backed up for miles around that time, and ODOT said drivers should expect delays.
“Earlier in the day, a northbound truck,” one that was too tall, Hamilton added, “knocked down a sign at the point where the traffic has to stop for a bridge closure.”
The signs are like traffic lights, and about 16 feet tall. Hamilton said vehicles under 14 feet tall don’t need a permit to cross the bridge, so it appears the vehicle was driving without one, as it would have been sent on a different route if it had.
Workers checked it out and got it working again, Hamilton said, adding there’s no other damage to the crossing signal mechanism or crossing guards.
