An accident involving an over-sized load truck snarled traffic on Ringgold Road, Tuesday afternoon.
According to East Ridge Fire Chief Mike Williams, the call was dispatched at 11:12 a.m. to 4131 Ringgold Road, right in front of the Walmart Neighborhood Market. Chief Williams said the truck carrying a generator house had a mechanical issue with the trailer resulting in the rear end of the trailer dropping off the roadside and clipping a power pole.
Officials shut down most of the 4100 block of Ringgold Road to a single lane allowing workers with the Electric Power Board to set up to replace the splintered pole. As of 2:30 p.m. the Lindemeyer Transport truck along with its cargo was still disabled blocking the entrance to the Walmart Market.
East Ridge police urge motorists to find an alternate route. Assistant Chief Stan Allen stated in a press release the it could take until 10 p.m. Tuesday evening for the road to be restored to all four lanes.
“We’re just standing by here in case there is an ‘uh oh,'” Chief Williams said. “It may be three to five hours before this scene will be cleared.”
Officials said the truck was en route from Illinois to a location outside Atlanta, Ga. The truck had a state permit allowing it to travel on Ringgold Road. Officials said over-sized loads taller than 16 feet regularly detour off Interstate-24, as the bridge passing over the interstate on Spring Creek road is not tall enough to accommodate the height of the cargo. It is not uncommon for over-sized loads to travel along Ringgold Road, officials said.
Chief Williams said that the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s reconfiguration of the Interstate 75/I-24 exchange calls for raising the height of the Spring Creek Road bridge, which may reduce the number of over-sized loads traveling on state highways.
Chief Williams said once the truck is out of its current predicament, fire, police and a crew from the city’s street department will accompany the rig down Ringgold Road to I-75 to insure there are no other issues.
