Georgia Road span opens

News

February 3, 2017 - 12:00 AM

HUMBOLDT — The U.S. 169 overpass on Georgia Road, an extension of Central Street and a mile east of Humboldt, was opened to traffic Thursday.

The bridge was closed following a fatality traffic accident June 13, 2016, when a highway transport ran off the highway and up against the east underside of the span. The driver, Jayson Wessley, 52, Nevada, Mo., died in the crash.

Kansas Department of Transportation engineers immediately deemed the bridge unsafe and closed it until part of the concrete deck and railing could be replaced. Completion was predicted for fall or early winter. Unexplained delays pushed that to this week.

The closure proved a nuisance for a number of people living east of Humboldt, and caused a school bus route to be changed. On the bright side, winter weather has been mild and the detours easy to navigate.

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