SPOKANE, Wash. — It's a tale as old as time: semi-trucks getting stuck in the Spokane area. Now, the city has installed a device under one problem bridge aimed at remedying the headache for drivers and law enforcement alike.
Warning chimes made of plastic have been installed on East Sprague Avenue leading to the Division Street railroad bridge, as part of a project done this summer and fall, City of Spokane spokesperson Marlene Feist said. Similar warning chimes have also been installed in San Antonio, Texas, she added.
"The goal here is to avoid having over height vehicles strike the bridge. We have tried other approaches, but still have challenges so we decided to try something new," Feist wrote in an email to KREM.
One of those previous approaches includes the installation of sensors several years ago that warn drivers if their trailer is too high for the bridge. The sensor system cost about $30,000 each to purchase and install. The city had planned to use the sensors at the overpasses on Division and Sprague, along with other problem areas in the city. Spokane police previously told KREM that the sensors were effective in preventing stuck trucks.
Last week, a semi-truck was wedged under the bridge at Trent Avenue and Napa Street in Spokane, blocking the road until it was moved. Spokane police and BNSF responded to the scene.
Multiple semi-trucks have also become stuck underneath the Stevens Street overpass over the past few years. That bridge also has two warnings signs that read, “Over height when flashing” and “Low bridge,” which were installed in the summer of 2018.