Driver charged after excavator stuck under Whitemud overpass on Anthony Henday

The 22-year-old man who was behind the wheel of a semi hauling an excavator when it hit the Whitemud Drive overpass on the east part of Anthony Henday Drive on June 16 has been charged.

The driver, whose name is not being released by Edmonton police, is facing five offences under the Traffic Safety Act, the Highway Development and Protection Act and the Cargo Securement Standard.

He’s been charged with several offences, including having a heavy vehicle not secured against moving, operating an “over-dimensional” vehicle on a highway contrary to the permit, and interfering with or damaging a highway.

The last offence comes with a mandatory court summons and the driver could be given a fine “upwards of the cost of the repairs to the bridge,” an Edmonton police spokesperson said.

The crash happened just before 10 a.m. on June 16 when a semi was exiting Anthony Henday Drive and hit the underside of the Whitemud Drive overpass.

Edmonton police said the northbound semi was attempting to exit the Henday at the Whitemud exit ramp, when the truck — which was carrying the excavator on its trailer — collided with the overpass, causing extensive damage.

The excavator hit several girders on the underside of the bridge, breaking away concrete and exposing rebar.

The pavement on the top of the bridge deck was also pushed up from the underside, photos obtained by Global News revealed.

After two weeks, work began June 29 to remove the excavator.

At that time, Alberta Transportation did not have a timeline for repairs and did not yet know how much they will cost —which remains the case.

In an email to Global News on Wednesday, Alberta Transportation spokesperson Jesse Furber said the ministry hired a consultant “who is currently exploring different repair options.

“Once a repair option has been selected, we will be able to determine the timing of the work and the cost of the repairs,” Furber said.

— With files from Karen Bartko, Global News