List of interstate accidents involving dropped steel loads

The sections of Interstate 20/59 and Interstate 65 which pass through downtown Birmingham have been punctured or otherwise damaged numerous times by steel loads falling from 18-wheelers. According to state transportation officials, steel coils have been dropped onto Birmingham area interstates at least 23 times since 1987. No serious injuries have been reported.

2006

• October 2: 18 wheeler loses its coil on the ramp from I-20/59 North to I-20 East, damaging a section of the ramp's retaining wall. No injuries were reported.
• September 24: 18 wheeler carrying steel pipes overturns on I-59 North near the BJCC. No injuries and no major damage to the roadway.
• June 26: 18 wheeler overturns at ramp from I-20/59 North to I-20 East, spilling three rolls of galvanized steel. Minor damage to road and no injuries reported.
• June 8: 40,000-pound coil dropped on inside northbound lane of I-20/59 over Third Street from a truck driven by Lynn Nichols, the owner of Pinson-based BCD Enterprises, . The coil punched eight holes and damaged a car driven by Kimberly Jackson of Hueytown, who suffered minor injuries and has since filed suit.
• May 4: 45,000-pound coil dropped at Malfunction Junction, punching two holes in southbound I-20/59.

2005

• January 4: A truck overturned on I-20/59 near the Civic Center without losing the steel coil. A hole was made in the shoulder and concrete barrier. The interstate was closed overnight while a crane was brought in to right the truck and move it away.

2004

• March 18: A truck lost a steel coil on I-20/59 near the Civic Center leaving five holes in the main roadbed that were covered with steel plates for five days before repairs began. Alabama Bridge Builders Inc. of Pinson was called in to do the work which took one week.

1998

• September 9: A 22 ton coil punched 17 holes along a section of I-65 South after falling off a truck
• March 18: All four lanes of I-20/59 North were closed for five days when a 23 ton steel coil bounced down the interstate after falling off a truck.

1997

• August 25: 11 holes were knocked in the pavement when a roll of coiled steel fell off a westbound truck on I-20/59 near 24th Street North.
• June 5: A 23 ton steel coil fell off a truck and partially unrolled on I-65 South near Greensprings Avenue. Several hours were spent cutting up the steel and loading it on trucks to haul away.

1995

• February 22: Concrete damaged after a roll of steel fell off a truck resulting in the closure of two of the three lanes for northbound traffic on I-20/59 just south of Malfunction Junction from February 22-26.

Responses

In June 2006 the Alabama Department of Transportation pledged to send more truck inspectors to the Birmingham area to check 18-wheelers, "especially trucks hauling steel coils." The DOT also plans to advocate for legislation, common in other states, for steel coils to be shipped in cradles or containers rather than merely chocked and chained. State Senator Jabo Waggoner, a member of the Commerce and Transportation committee, was quoted in the Birmingham News saying "I think it's probably our responsibility now to ask them what is the problem."

During the week of June 12-16, Alabama State Troopers inspected 120 trucks hauling steel coils and issued 60 tickets for violations, including 50 trucks that were put immediately out of service until the problems were corrected.

References

• Norris, Toraine (October 3, 2006) "Interstate ramp damaged, traffic diverted as 18-wheeler loses steel coil." Birmingham News.
• Doyle, Niki. (June 17, 2006) "Steel coil truck inspectors write 60 tickets." Birmingham News.
• MacDonald, Ginny. (June 10, 2006) "Steel loads on trucks scrutinized". Birmingham News.
• Birmingham News archives online search. Accessed March 16, 2006.