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Aug 19, 2023

Traffic nightmare as semi hits overpass in Abbotsford (PHOTOS)

A truck collided with an overpass in Abbotsford Monday afternoon, snarling

A truck collided with an overpass in Abbotsford Monday afternoon, snarling traffic on Highway 1.

Police say it happened around 1:30 pm in the eastbound lanes at the Peardonville overpass. No one was hurt, but a car was struck from some debris that fell from the overpass.

Highway 1 is down to one lane, and there's no estimated time of reopening. Officers are awaiting an engineer assessment from the Ministry of Transportation.

"Early investigation points to the commercial vehicle being over-height, and charges under the Motor Vehicle Act are being considered," Cpl. Mike Moore told Daily Hive.

Video from the incident shows a semi carrying a digger on its bed, and the arm of the digger hits the overpass and knocks away some pieces of concrete.

DriveBC advised drivers to expect congestion in both directions.

📡 #BCHwy1 – Reports of an eastbound vehicle incident at Peardonville Overpass in #Abbotsford is causing congestion.Crews en route, expect congestion in both directions. pic.twitter.com/Cocfn1Up9U

— DriveBC (@DriveBC) May 1, 2023

Laura Ballance said the collission happened right near her husband's business.

"They heard a huge bang and went running out there and saw that a semi had hit the overpass," she said.

Later, Ballance shared photos of the digger, turned on its side, on the edge of the road.

ANOTHER semi carrying heavy equipment just took out an overpass on Highway 1, this time the Peardonville Exit eastbound in Abbotsford. This should make an already hellish section of the Fraser Valley commute unreal today. Someone needs to start supplying tape measures pic.twitter.com/SGhrWnWBUG

— Laura Ballance (@LauraBallance) May 1, 2023

Ballance is frustrated at how often over-height trucks have been hitting overpasses in the Lower Mainland, and wants to see some accountability — including stricter enforcement of height measurements.

"How many trucks have to hit overpasses on our only road in and out of the city in a single year?" she said. "It just creates hell on an already horrendous stretch of road.

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