Around 9pm Wednesday evening, July 22nd, a manufactured building was being hauled northbound on I-5 in two sections. The first section was in the right lane following its pilot vehicle as it began crossing the Nooksack River bridge in Ferndale.
Unfortunately, the crest of the building’s roof was inches too tall and clipped the initial overhead span at the south end of the bridge structure. The top surface of the building’s roof peeled back a few feet as the truck came to a stop with its load stuck on the bridge. The second section following stopped along with hundreds of other vehicles in the resulting traffic jam.
Washington State Patrol and local law enforcement detoured northbound traffic off I-5 through Ferndale and stopped vehicles from entering at Main Street while they got the stuck load backed off the bridge.
Since the spans of the bridge angle downward on the sides, the highest clearance is available in the center. When they carefully pulled the load down the center of the bridge it cleared as did the second load. Both loads exited I-5 at Portal Way to be inspected and possible citations.
Washington State Department of Transportation sent an inspection team to assess the damage to the bridge. By 11:40pm they turned the bridge and traffic control back over to the contractor already doing work on it.