Driver cited after cement truck strikes bridge in Norwood leaving catastrophic damage

NORWOOD, Mass — Boston25 drone footage shows the catastrophic damage to the Morse Street Bridge in Norwood. On Thursday afternoon a cement truck crashed into it and pushed the railroad bridge about five feet.

“It’s basically almost falling off. It’s pretty intense,” said Michael Rice who works nearby. “I’ve seen about 50 trucks hit the bridge, but none have moved it. They weren’t cement mixers.”

James Kelly, known as the town’s ‘inspector’, has lived nearby for more than 50 years and has seen far more than 50 crashes.

“It makes a lot of noise, and we all come over here and have a little get together in,” said Kelly. “He hit that at a good speed. He must have been trying to get up his speed to go through the light.”

It’s an old, narrow bridge with a particularly low clearance of 9-feet-11-inches. Boston 25 did a report three years ago on the high number of crashes into the bridge.

The police chief spoke to the town about the problem, but construction was too expensive. He urged drivers to pay attention to the signage.

“Mostly it’s rental trucks at the end of the month. It’s moving day, they run down and get the rental truck come whipping over the hill and bang,” said Kelly.

CSX owns the freight rail. These days it is hardly used with only customers on the line. It’s unclear what will happen to the rail line now.

“Wicked old,” said Kelly. “Usually, it sounds like an explosion and usually the bridge wins.” But this time? “The bridge did not win. The bridge did not win.”

CSX said they are working on a statement.

The driver was taken to the hospital as a precaution. He was cited for failing to abide by the signs.

State Police are investigating the accident.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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