Vehicle hits I-95 bridge, jams traffic at 10th Ave.

Backhoe was being hauled by tow truck; lanes closed for hours.

LAKE WORTH — A Bobcat construction vehicle hauled by a large tow truck hit the 10th Avenue North overpass on Interstate 95 on Wednesday morning. The crash damaged the bridge, snarled northbound traffic on the highway for hours and shut down all eastbound lanes on 10th Avenue North, authorities said.

Barbara Keller, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Transportation, said a combination front-end loader and backhoe struck a beam on the overpass. The backhoe was extended upward and that’s what damaged

the concrete beam, she said.

No other vehicles were involved and there were no injuries in the crash, according to Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Mark Wysocky.

After the crash, three northbound lanes on I-95 were closed for more than four hours and eastbound lanes of 10th Avenue North were also closed for some time as inspectors and struc- tural engineers looked over the damage to the over- pass. Additionally, there was debris from the concrete beam spread across the roadway.

Wysocky said at no point was I-95 completely closed. All lanes had reopened by 3:15 p.m.

Northbound traffic was diverted at Lantana Road in Lantana and Sixth Avenue South in Lake Worth, according to authorities.

Keller said the tow truck, owned by Priority Towing, entered I-95 at the Lantana Road interchange, so the first overpass it came to was at 10th Avenue North.

She said the beam will need to be replaced, but that will not change traffic flow on 10th Avenue North. The beam that was hit is under a right lane on the overpass that is closed because of construction. In the past 12 months, the road has been under construction to widen the overpass.

Keller did not have an estimated cost to replace the beam.

PHOTOS BY RICHARD GRAULICH / THE PALM BEACH POST Traffic backs up on northbound I-95 approaching 10th Avenue North in Lake Worth on Wednesday after a backhoe that was extended upward struck an overpass beam.

Crews check damage to the 10th Avenue North overpass. The beam that was hit is under a right lane on the overpass that is closed due to construction. There were no injuries in the crash, an official said.

RICHARD GRAULICH / THE PALM BEACH POST Vehicles back up Wednesday on I-95 near the 10th Avenue North overpass. Three northbound lanes on I-95 were closed for more than four hours and eastbound lanes of 10th Avenue North were also closed for some time.