Shortly after 5:50 p.m., the MBTA tweeted that all trains starting or ending at Foxborough were canceled through the end of service Monday, adding that buses were available to connect with Franklin Line trains at Walpole for service to Foxborough. Regular service between South Station and Foxborough was set to be back on track Tuesday morning, the agency tweeted.
“This diversion allows for necessary track work following a truck striking a bridge near Endicott this morning,” the agency tweeted.
👷This diversion allows for necessary track work following a truck striking a bridge near Endicott this morning.
— MBTA Commuter Rail (@MBTA_CR) May 15, 2023
Around 10:45 a.m., the MBTA reported “severe delays” on the Franklin line in both directions. Just before 11:30 a.m., the agency said service had resumed on a single track.
“Trains must operate at reduced speed through a single track until necessary repairs are made to the second track due to a vehicle striking a bridge,” officials wrote on Twitter.
The MBTA said later that all Foxborough trains are canceled indefinitely to repair the bridge, located near Endicott station.
“Passengers traveling to/from Foxboro can board a regular Franklin Line train,” the agency said. “At Walpole, a bus shuttle will offer a connection to Foxboro through the evening.”
All delays on the Franklin Line appeared to have phased out by early Monday evening, according to status reports posted by the agency on Twitter.
Dedham police said officers were detouring traffic from the bridge and that drivers should seek alternate routes.
The bridge, built in 1904, stands at a substandard height of 12 feet, 3 inches. A design contract to replace the structure was approved in October 2020. Since 2019, at least 13 vehicles have struck the bridge, according to the MBTA. One of the crashes led to an emergency shutdown in the fall.
Construction on a replacement bridge is slated to begin late this year. The $18 million project will raise the bridge to 14 feet, the recommended standard.
The truck driver was cited for motor vehicle offenses. No one was injured in the crash, according to Transit Police.
Traffic Alert Update: All traffic will be detoured away from the bridge. MBTA also reports all train service halted while engineers inspect the damage. Please seek alternate. pic.twitter.com/zU5WFcg28b
— Dedham Police Dept (@DedhamPD) May 15, 2023
Globe correspondent Breanne Kovatch contributed to this report.
Kate Armanini can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @KateArmanini.
