There are lingering questions following the collapse of a pedestrian bridge onto DC-295 after a truck driver allegedly forgot to lower part of the vehicle and hit the bridge.
The collapse sent five people to hospitals; left tons of twisted metal, crumbled concrete alongside damaged cars and shut down DC-295 for hours. The road reopened Thursday morning and there’s now a clean break where the pedestrian bridge once attached to staircases.
D.C.'s Department of Transportation will temporarily close lanes on several roadways Monday and Tuesday for bridge and tunnel inspections. A full list of closures is posted at the bottom of this page.
According to a police report, the operator of the large truck involved forgot to lower the vehicle’s subframe after leaving a nearby concrete plant. Then, the subframe struck the footbridge, the police report says.
News4 reached out to Frank’s Scrap Metal — the company involved with the truck — but they told us they did not have an official statement to release.
Officials say the collision incited the collapse. It’s unclear if the condition of the bridge played a role: The bridge was rated poor after its most recent inspection in February.
News4’s Adam Tuss tracked down pictures of the bridge during a 2021 inspection which shows cracking and crumbling concrete with exposed steel rebar.
The inspection team went as far as to say consideration should be given to replacing the bridge.
That contradicted what D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters during a news conference hours after the crash. Later that evening, officials said they “misstated” the condition.
ANC Commissioner Kathy Henderson questioned whether the condition of the bridge played a role in its collapse.
“We don't know what the underlying factors are,” Henderson said in a statement calling for federal transportation officials to get involved.
D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson said it's important to rebuild the bridge because many residents used it to access the Deanwood Metro station.
Henderson said that more than $3 million already marked for bridge maintenance in next year's budget "definitely" wouldn't be enough to replace the bridge.
DC Road Closures for Bridge and Tunnel Inspections
The District Department of Transportation will close several roads on Monday and Tuesday to complete inspections, weather permitting.
There will be traffic controls, but expect moderate to heavy delays, DDOT says.
Monday, June 28, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"East Capitol Street, S.E. under CSXT Railroad, alternating right and left lane closures of Eastbound East Capitol Street, N.E. under CSXT Railroad," DDOT says.
Tuesday, June 29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"Eastbound Ramp from Whitehurst Freeway to K-Street, N.W. over K-Street Eastbound Exit Ramp, left lane closure of Eastbound Ramp from Whitehurst Freeway to K-Street, N.W. over K-Street Eastbound Exit Ramp," DDOT says.
"Westbound Ramp from K-Street, N.W. to from Whitehurst Freeway over K-Street Westbound Entrance Ramp, right lane closure of Westbound Ramp from K-Street, N.W. to Whitehurst Freeway over K-Street Westbound Entrance Ramp," DDOT says.
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