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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The side fencing and roof of a
pedestrian bridge fell in strong wind early Sunday, closing the
main highway south of Anchorage in both directions until the
debris could be cleared.
No one was hurt when the structure fell onto the Seward Highway
on the south side of Alaska's biggest city, according to the
Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities.
A highway worker reported the debris around 2:30 a.m. Traffic
was rerouted and crews with saws and front-end loaders had it
cleared by 6:30 a.m., department spokesperson Shannon McCarthy
said by email.
“While it is too early to determine the cause, it’s likely that
the winds were a major component,” McCarthy said.
The walkway's main structure spanning the four-lane highway, an
entrance ramp and an outer road remained intact. The bridge
links a neighborhood to an elementary school.
Winds at the time topped 20 mph (32 kilometers per hour). Heavy
rain, snow and wind topping 60 mph (96 kilometers per hour) were
forecast later Sunday, according to the National Weather
Service.
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