WORCESTER – MassDOT believes it has figured out what caused a large highway sign to come crashing down on I-190 in Worcester. The agency is also taking down another overhead sign, following inspections.
“The preliminary results from the inspection of the overhead sign structure that fell last week indicate the anchor bolts holding the sign support to the foundation failed,” MassDOT said in a statement Wednesday. “MassDOT is in the process of inspecting all of the 52 overhead sign structures on the I-190 corridor.”
The sign fell during the August 9 morning rush on the southbound side of the interstate, just before Exit 1. Luckily, no one was hurt and no cars were damaged.
The sign structure was about 24 years old and went up in 1999 as part of a sign replacement project.
Jessica Thurber
So far, MassDOT has inspected the foundations of 31 sign structures, and the rest will be looked at in the next two weeks.
“In addition, another overhead sign structure will be taken down based on the findings of the ongoing inspections,” the agency said. “This sign is not over an active travel lane and therefore not deemed an immediate risk to the traveling public.”
A bid for contracts to replace all the sign structures was supposed to go up in November; that’s now been moved up to September.
