It could take months to replace a sign truss after a raised-bed construction vehicle crashed into it, sending it crashing onto Interstate 35 in Merriam, a Kansas Department of Transportation spokesperson said.
The crash happened overnight along I-35 near Johnson Drive in Johnson County. The southbound lanes of the highway were closed for four and a half hours as crews worked to remove the truss, which contained a message board for KC Scout’s traffic management system, said Delany Tholen, a spokesperson for KDOT’s Kansas City metro area .
One lane of the highway reopened shortly before 5 a.m., according to the Merriam Police Department’s Facebook page. All lanes of the highway were cleared and reopened shortly before 6 a.m
It could take up to six months to repair the truss and put it back in place, depending on materials and contractor availability, Tholen said.
The crash occurred because the vehicle went up from the structure instead of down, Tholen said. She said KDOT’s legal team will work with the vehicle’s owner to determine responsibility.
