Trucks and large vehicles approaching Melbourne’s notorious Montague Street Bridge will be given fair warning of its three-metre clearance after the installation of two new gantries leading up to it.
Since 2011, there have been 102 reported strikes on the bridge from large vehicles underestimating its clearance height, including a serious bus crash in February.
The Victorian Government has installed new traffic gantries on the Normanby Road and City Road approaches. Black and yellow plastic paddles hang from the gantries, alerting drivers who hit them that they are over-height, giving them the opportunity to divert and avoid hitting the bridge.
“All motorists have a responsibility to know the height of their vehicle and plan their journey,” said Member for Albert Park Martin Foley in a statement.
“These new gantries will reduce the likelihood of trucks hitting the bridge and improve the safety of everybody using Montague Street.”
Additional advance warning signage has also been installed on Montague Street and surround roads. There are now 26 advance warning signs on the approaches to the bridge.