Commuters in Pittsburgh's Mount Washington neighborhood encountered unexpected disruptions after an overnight incident where a dump truck collided with a railroad bridge on Crane Avenue, near the intersection with Route 51. The collision has led to continued restrictions in the area, as officials and the railroad company work to assess and address the damage caused to the infrastructure, as reported by WTAE.
The crash occurred sometime overnight, leaving morning travelers to navigate through the aftermath. As efforts to evaluate the extent of the damage go on, Crane Avenue has been shut down between Beechview Avenue and Route 51, adding to the already existing congestion from the closure of Route 51 for roadwork.
A spokesperson for Mayor Ed Gainey's office relayed the severity of the situation, indicating that the damage inflicted by the truck's impact is significant enough to potentially require a prolonged closure of the roadway. "Due to the location and severity of the crash, the railroad company is assessing the damage and will alert them if the roadway needs to shut down for an extended amount of time," the spokesperson explained in a statement, as per a WPXI report.
The disruption compounds existing traffic woes, with Route 51 already closed due to the demolition of the overpass that crosses near Woodruff Street, and the concurrent road widening project. The route is expected to reopen on August 26.
