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Dec 25, 2007 6:31 am US/Eastern
Commuter Bridge Reopens After Barge Crash
BEVERLY (WBZ) ―
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The bridge, which is only used by commuter trains to cross the Danvers River, was closed while inspectors surveyed the damage.
WBZ
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Thousands of commuters were bused between Beverly and Salem after a barge slammed into the bridge that transports commuter trains over the Danvers River.
WBZ
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Crews expect to have a temporary fix in place in time for trains to use the bridge by the afternoon and evening commute.
WBZ
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The bridge, which is only used by commuter trains to cross the Danvers River, was closed while inspectors surveyed the damage.
WBZ
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Repair crews were busy trying to assess and fix the damage done to the bridge by the barge.
WBZ
Permanent repairs have been made to the commuter rail bridge in Beverly struck by a barge last week.
All Commuter Rail passengers on the Newburyport Rockport Commuter Rail line were bused between the Beverly Depot and Salem stations Friday morning after a barge hit the Beverly-Salem railroad "pivot" bridge.
The bridge, which is only used by commuter trains to cross the Danvers River, was closed while inspectors surveyed the damage.
The bridge was re-opened Friday at 1 p.m. after a temporary fix was put in place allowing the bridge to remain locked into position. However trains were only allowed to drive 10 mph when crossing the bridge.
The bridge was closed again on Saturday from 7am to 5pm while a permanent fix to the bridge was being done.
The good news is T officials say the bridge did not suffer any major structural damage when it was rammed by the barge.
MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo says inspectors found signs of mechanical damage to the pivoting system which allows boat traffic to pass below the bridge. But he says there was no indication of significant structural damage to the bridge itself, as had been earlier feared.
According to the T, about 8,000 people use the Newburyport - Rockport commuter rail daily.
The Coast Guard says the boat was transporting dredge material outbound on the Danvers River to Beverly Harbor at the time of the accident.
The T's General Manager blamed the operators of the barge. "This is not the first time we've had the barge bump into the bridge. It's the first time it's caused significant problems, said Dan Grabauskas. "My plan is to reach out to the Coast Guard and let them know, as far as I'm concerned all operations of this drudging have to stop. Until such time as whoever is doing this operation brings in either a shorter barge or is able to assure me that there is some other methodology that they can use so we're not gonna see this happen again."
The barge owner says the company is cooperating with the investigation.
No one was hurt in the accident.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
