Overloaded truck rolls; highway damaged

An overloaded truck overturns on the Middle Ring Road in Shanghai's Baoshan district on early Monday morning. PHOTO BY YINLIQIN/FOR CHINA DAILY

Repairs to a broken section of elevated highway in Shanghai will take about two weeks, the Shanghai Road Administration Bureau said on Monday.

The section of the city's Middle Ring Road, a major arterial, was damaged at midnight by an overloaded truck, the bureau said.

Steel pipes and lifting jacks will be used to prop up the damaged section to that a safety assessment can be made. Repairs to the supporting piers and the road surface will follow the assessment, officials said at a media briefing.

"We will strive to complete the repairs in two weeks and will restore traffic as soon as possible," said Huang Rong, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai municipal government.

At around 12:30 am, one of four overloaded trucks from Shanghai Jianjing Logistics Co, each 10 meters long and carrying heavy concrete pipes, overturned on the Middle Ring Road near Hutai Road in Baoshan district. Trucks are banned from the road and most elevated highways in Shanghai.

A section of the highway was dislodged and at least one of the pieces moved, resulting in a height difference of 40 centimeters.

The truck's cargo fell onto the surface and some concrete pipes even struck the ground below the elevated highway. Four passing cars were damaged, but there were no reports of injuries.

The truck's driver and a trucking company boss were held by police. A preliminary investigation ruled out suspicions of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Nearly 5 kilometers of the highway - from Gulang Road to Gonghexin Road - will be closed to traffic during repairs. At least 12 bus routes will be required to make detours.

Traffic within 1.5 kilometers of the accident site was crippled during the morning and evening rush hour on Monday. The police suggested that people take subways to avoid the congestion.

A section of the highway shifted 40 centimeters (area circled in photo). PHOTO BY YIN LIQIN/FOR CHINA DAILY