Box Truck Barrels Into, Bends Bridge Barrier

Paul Hayes phayes@littletonrecord.com Staff Writer Aug 25, 2025 Updated 9 hours ago

 

LYNDON — Recently installed bridge barriers once again prevented an oversized vehicle from striking the Miller’s Run Covered Bridge, police said.

A southbound box truck hit the Center Street barrier Monday morning, causing heavy damage to both the vehicle and the town-owned steel structure. The crash was reported at about 9:12 a.m., according to the Lyndonville Police Department.

Police said the truck, a 2023 blue Mack registered in Illinois to ASAP Expedite Inc. of Chicago, was driven by Maja Jankovic, 52, of Chicago. Jankovic told officers she was following GPS directions that led her onto Center Street.

The collision tore off about six feet of the truck’s roof and separated the headboard from the box. Jankovic was not injured. She was issued a Vermont civil violation for failing to obey traffic control devices. Police said signs posted on the bridge indicate the proper clearance height.

The Lyndon road crew assessed the barrier damage, which included a bent top beam and decorative feature, twisted legs, and several sheared bolts. The attachment welds held, but one of the concrete piers may also have been damaged. Officials said the barrier remains safe for normal traffic, but its ability to withstand another strike is uncertain.

It was the third known crash involving the barriers since they were installed in March. On June 19, a tractor-trailer attempted to enter the bridge but was stopped when its exhaust stacks struck the southern overhead barrier. The truck backed away with minimal damage, and the bridge was not harmed.

Video taken the day before appears to show a steel crossbar bent inward, apparently from a separate incident.

The barriers were installed to protect the 146-year-old covered bridge, which has been repeatedly struck by oversized vehicles despite an 11-foot-9 height restriction. Past incidents have typically cost the town about $1,100 in repairs and forced temporary closures.

The project, designed by Lyndon Institute welding students and manufactured locally, cost $60,000 and was funded with a mix of town and federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. Town officials said it was a cost-effective alternative to replacing the bridge, which could cost millions.