Truck takes out sound barrier

HAVERFORD TWP., Pa. - April 2, 2008 An afternoon crash on the Blue Route had traffic backed up for miles in delaware county.

A dump truck smashed into a guard rail in the southbound lanes near Haverford Township.

The impact damaged the rail and sent all kinds of debris onto Darby Road .below.

The closures were in effect for about 5 hours today following that crash on the Blue Route. All 3 lanes of the Blue Route are open between routes 30 and 3 and Darby Road has reopened in Haverford Township.

The sound barrier along the Blue Route over Darby Road in Haverford Townshp came crashing down late this morning. That's when a dump truck traveling south on the Blue Route between Route 30, Villanova-St. David's and Route 3, Upper Darby-Broomall, smashed into it. The truck was carrying a load of finely crushed rock used in road construction.

Despite the extent of the damage, the Jersey barrier really held up preventing the 72,000 pound truck from falling onto Darby Road.

"There was explosion and a puff of smoke, and you could see with the first explosion that the bridge had fallen down onto Darby Road," Martha Sharples of Haverford Township said.

The truck driver, 37-year-old Manuel Calle of Coatesville, was treated at Bryn Mawr Hospital and released. Those on Darby Road were not injured. One car, however, was damaged when a motorist drove over debris. Traffic was light on Darby Road at the time of the crash.

"It is a busy artery…it's North-South road right throw the town," Sgt. John Viola of the Haverford Township Police said.

The closures were in effect for around 5 hours today following that crash on the Blue Route. All 3 lanes of the Blue Route are open between Routes 30 and 3 and Darby Road has reopened in Haverford Township.