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Construction Continues On Surprise Overpass After Girder Collapse Investigation

(Photo courtesy ADOT)
Girders being placed in overpass construction.

Overpass construction has resumed Tuesday in Surprise where one worker was severely injured last month after a girder collapsed.  

The Arizona Department of Transportation is again placing the concrete girders as part of a $40 million dollar project to build an overpass over Bell Road at Grand Avenue.

One of those girders fell last month after being put in place, sending a construction worker to the hospital with critical injuries after falling 40 feet.

ADOT and the project contractor could not find a specific reason for the collapse after investigating and concluded the rest of the girders are structurally sound.

"We are satisfied that the girder placement can proceed, and it can proceed safely,” Doug Nintzel, an ADOT spokesman, said.

Nintzel said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is still investigating the accident.

Casey Kuhn was a senior field correspondent at KJZZ from 2015 to 2019.