The low bridge over Main Street in Center Moriches snared another oversized truck, sending its wayward driver to the hospital and snarling traffic for hours.
The tractor-trailer hit the Long Island Rail Road trestle so hard it flipped over into the opposite lane. Heavy wrecker crews dragged the rig from under the bridge and took hours to upright it and tow it away. The driver was airlifted by a Suffolk Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital with serious injuries.
“As part of a mutual aid response, firefighters from Center Moriches and East Moriches worked together to extricate the unconscious driver from the overturned vehicle,” ex-CMO Chief Bill Renzetti reported. Firefighters also worked to contain a fuel spill and secure the tractor-trailer, he said. Both the truck and trailer suffered significant damage, while the concrete and steel structure, built in 1918, did not budge.
The 11’ 6” trestle has jammed up numerous vehicles over the years and shows it with deep scars and scrapes in both directions. Though drivers are warned with multiple signs, some residents don’t believe it’s enough. “This happens a lot,” said a neighbor at the scene near Wilcox Avenue. “Maybe they should put up flashing lights so drivers can see how low the bridge is.”