Truck Strikes RR Bridge, Closes Flourtown Road

For the second time in December, a truck has crashed into the railroad bridge that crosses Flourtown Road near its intersection with Butler Pike, and has closed down the roadway.

A reader-submitted photo on Patch's Facebook page shows what appears to be a Weis Markets delivery truck flipped onto its driver side, with debris strewn about. A Whitemarsh Police dispatcher said that it was the only vehicle involved in the accident, and that there were no reported injuries.

The accident occurred at about 6:45 a.m. Thursday morning, and the road remained closed in both directions, from Butler Pike to Colonial Drive, into the afternoon. The bridge is about one-fifth of a mile east of Butler Pike.

A similar incident occurred on December 3, when a tractor-trailer collided with the bridge.

"This has to be the third or fourth accident of this kind in as many months," wrote one reader. "Perhaps the township should post a sign to try and eliminate this from happening."

On both sides of the bridge are signs posting the clearance as 11 feet, 9 inches. Whitemarsh chief of police Michael Beaty told Patch that the signage meets all PennDOT regualtions.

"It's more than what would be at any other bridge or underpass," Beaty said. "Unfortunately, we have a lot of drivers that just aren't paying attention, or are looking at their GPS, or are otherwise distracted."

However, Beaty says the township is working with Norfolk Southern, who owns the bridge, on ways of increasing signage further.

"We're trying to address it and make it better, and hopefully a few extra signs will help, but it won't prevent it one hundred percent," Beaty said.

Patch left a message with the Whitemarsh Township Public Works department Thursday morning to inquire about the possibility of placing signs on Flourtown Road approaching the bridge, but did not receive a response.