Semi strikes south Eagle River bridge over outbound Glenn Highway

One lane of the outbound Glenn Highway was closed Wednesday after a semitruck hit the South Eagle River overpass, Anchorage police said.

Police said in an alert that officers and bridge inspectors responded to the scene Wednesday afternoon after the overpass was struck by the vehicle. No one was hurt, police said.

The overpass was still open to traffic, as were all the inbound lanes of the Glenn Highway, police said.

The right-hand outbound lane of the highway was reopened about 8 p.m. Wednesday after debris from the collision was cleared off the road.

The bridge is the same one that was struck in March 2018 by a truck hauling a load too tall to fit under the bridge on the inbound side of the Glenn. The damage from that 2018 strike prompted authorities to close the southbound Glenn Highway at the bridge and create a detour, which led to colossal traffic jams at the time.

According to the transportation department, this week’s collision damaged a bridge girder, which will need to be replaced. The department said on Thursday that a repair plan is in the works, and that the northbound lanes of the highway will likely be able to stay open until the repairs begin.