Truck Mishap Blocks Traffic on 59 South

LIVINGSTON, January 3, 2008 – A truck owned by I.R.H. Trucking out of Salt Lake City, Utah blocked both south bound lanes of traffic on 59 South just after the Livingston exit. 

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According to DPS Trooper Sam Lattner the mishap was reported at 2:11 pm by Polk County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Nettles. 

The driver of the truck allegedly was northbound on 59, when he tried to turn the truck around into the southbound lanes.  The length of the trailer combined with the weight of the load caused the trailer to dig into the pavement.  In addition, the tractor tires sank into the soft ground to only compound the problem.

 

The Texas Department of Transportation, Department of Public Saftey, Polk County Sheriff Deputy and Polk County Department of Emergency Management were all at the scene while the truck was being cleared off the highway. 

Traffic was blocked for over 3 hours in both southbound lanes and one lane of the northbound side was blocked due to the length of the rig.  Traffic was diverted to the Livingston exit where drivers would go through a traffic light before re-entering Highway 59 south from the feeder.  

The driver of the truck was not issued a citation as his truck was both in a permitted turning crossover and he was attempting a legal turn.