Bridge takes another lick

Posted Friday, January 27, 2012, at 10:56 AM

Emergency workers look over damage from the latest crash on the U.S. 41A North bridge near Old Unionville Road. (T-G Photo by David Melson)

I've made so many photos of accidents at or near the Old Unionville Road bridge on U.S. 41A north of Shelbyville.

This (Friday, Jan. 27) morning's crash is just the latest. I was told the metal guard rail in the photo above had just been repaired Thursday.

Vehicles have hit the bridge on both ends, hit head-on on the bridge, run off embankments near the bridge...the list goes on and on.

Another driver and I took out five deer at one time one night back in the '90s just a few hundred yards up the road.

And nearly 10 years ago a driver was pinned in a car for several days before being discovered off an embankment near River Ranch Estates, just up the road.

There's got to be some answers on why so many wrecks happen on a straight stretch of highway. I'm still trying to figure it out.

Comments
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Especially when it is raining, people are going as fast as they would when it is dry, tail-gating you, and it feels like you could hydro-plane at any second... there is NO room for error here. I agree with Darrick. It is a solid idea which could save lives.

-- Posted by cats4me on Sat, Jan 28, 2012, at 11:38 PM

The repair and widening would be a great idea. I travel across this bridge at least twice a day and it can be very uncomfortable when meeting on-coming traffic.

-- Posted by Tim Lokey on Sat, Jan 28, 2012, at 2:59 PM

Since the bridge is already partially demolished, they seriously need to consider tearing the whole thing down and widening this bridge AT LEAST a few feet on both sides.

-- Posted by darrick_04 on Sat, Jan 28, 2012, at 1:32 PM

In the late 1950's 41-A was a narrow concrete road and was widened probably 2 feet on each side and then paved, but the bridge has never been widened. The same goes for the Fall Creek bridge. One has to really pay attention to driving when entering the bridge.

-- Posted by Cal t on Sat, Jan 28, 2012, at 9:39 AM

This is the 3rd tractor trailer wreck in 2 years in that area. It does need to be investigated. The bridges are way too narrow on 41-A.

-- Posted by owner/operator on Fri, Jan 27, 2012, at 6:53 PM

Is this not close to the same place where a head on wreck claimed a womans life that a big rig was in?Maybe there is a problem on the hwy there for big trucks.The state should investigate.

-- Posted by mytaxesaremine on Fri, Jan 27, 2012, at 6:23 PM

David Melson

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David Melson is a copy editor and staff writer for the Times-Gazette.

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