Semi hauling backhoes severely damages bridge, leaves equipment behind

BLACKFOOT — A semi-truck hauling a load of backhoes on Interstate 15 on Tuesday lost one of the excavators after hitting a bridge in Bingham County.

The semi-truck struck the Porterville Road Bridge above mile marker 94, north of Blackfoot, around 5:30 p.m.

Bingham County Sheriff Chief Deputy Jordyn Nebeker says the bridge has suffered major damage and is closed indefinitely. Idaho Transportation Department bridge crews are investigating to determine the integrity of the bridge and the outlook for repairs.

As a result, Porterville Road has been closed for about a half mile on either side of the bridge. The only traffic on that section of the road should be residents who live in the immediate area. Everyone else should divert to other county roads, Nebeker said.

The crash, in the northbound lane of I-15, left a backhoe in the highway median, and crews are working to clear the blockage, according to Idaho State Police Lt. Todd Orr.

As of 7:30 p.m., all I-15 lanes are closed near the crash with no estimated time of reopening, according to ITD spokeswoman Sky Buffat.

Traffic is being diverted off I-15. Southbound I-15 traffic should take Exit 116 (Sunnyside) or 113 (South Idaho Falls) onto U.S. Highway 91 to Blackfoot, and northbound traffic should take Exit 93 in Blackfoot.

There is a significant traffic backup in Bingham County as of Tuesday evening.

No injuries have been reported.

EastIdahoNews.com will update this story as more details are released.

The post Semi hauling backhoes severely damages bridge, leaves equipment behind appeared first on East Idaho News.