SASKATOON – The Highway 16/Circle Drive overpass will need weeks of repairs after it was hit by an air seeder. The mishap happened Wednesday morning when the air seeder being hauled by a semi struck the overpass.
The farm equipment struck several girder lines underneath both sets of the overpass, exposing rebar and loosening concrete.
READ MORE: Semi hauling cultivator hits Saskatoon overpass
City officials say it could cost up to one-million dollars to repair the overpass.
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“A preliminary analysis estimated damage to the overpass at $0.5 million to $1.0 million,” said Rob Frank, the city’s engineering manager for asset preservation, in a statement.
The cloverleaf was refurbished during the summer of 2015 when an inspection found it was in need of immediate repairs to restore its structural integrity.
Repairs on the current damage will take place in late spring and over the summer months, which will result in lane closures and traffic restrictions.
“While an incident like this is covered by insurance without a cost hit on taxpayers, there is a social cost in terms of traffic restrictions that will have to happen,” said Frank.
The city expects to tender the repair work in the coming weeks.
Charges are pending against the semi driver under the city’s bylaws.
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