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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Friday, June 5, 2009 2:57 PM CDT
IDOT re-measures overpass where two died in bus accident

By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer
hmeeker@jg-tc.com

MATTOON — Illinois Department of Transportation employees measured the Interstate 57 overpass bridge clearance on Illinois Route 16 Thursday.

The work at the site comes in the wake of Saturday’s accident that fatally injured two passengers reportedly standing in the upper section of a double decker charter bus.

Cameron Chana of Clarendon Hills and Justin Sleezer of Yorkville, both 22, were part of a private party headed back from Lake Shelbyville to Charleston. Many of the passengers were Eastern Illinois University students, including Chana.

Both victims suffered head injuries when the bus, operated by Lincoln Springs Resort and Tours, passed under the west side of the dual-bridge overpass. The men died early Sunday morning at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.

Results of the measuring work were not available Thursday.

Mattoon police earlier this week stated the double-decker bus is 13 feet, 6 inches tall. The front of the upper deck of the 1975 Leyland tour bus has a short windowed top, but much of the upper deck is open for the passengers. Standing in the upper deck is against the rules as stated by Lincoln Springs.

IDOT released data Wednesday showing that while the posted clearance of the overpass on the I-57 southbound lane, where the accident occurred, is 13 feet and 11 inches, the actual clearance of the structure is 14 feet, 4 inches.

Going by police figures for the Lincoln Springs bus height, the vehicle was just meeting the state limit.

“Legal height on all Illinois road vertical clearances that IDOT oversees is 13-6. While there are a few vertical clearances on state roads in Illinois less than 13-6, none of the clearances in question in this area fall into that category,” said Paris Ervin, IDOT communications director in

Springfield. The Illinois Vehicle Code requires the overall height of vehicles and their loads to be less than 13 feet, 6 inches, Ervin said.

Vehicles exceeding that height must secure a special movement permit. It is state policy to install signs on any structure over a state jurisdiction roadway where the measured vertical clearance is less than 14 feet, 6 inches.

“We are responsible for issuing permits for vertical clearances and if vehicles exceed the height or weight limits established in the Illinois Vehicle Code. The department is required by National Bridge Inspection Standards to maintain a bridge database that includes the actual roadway vertical clearance for all structures within the state of Illinois,” Ervin said.

“We have no evidence of having received or issuing a permit for an over-height bus along this route for this applicant (Lincoln Springs),” she said.

Lincoln Springs has stated the bus had previously traveled under the Route 16 overpasses without incident. But the bus driver told the investigating officer over the weekend he had “avoided overpasses” on the trip to Lake Shelbyville Saturday morning.

During the trip back to Charleston on Saturday evening the bus apparently stopped at the Mattoon McDonald’s along Route 16 before the accident occurred.

IDOT measurement shows the Illinois Route 316/DeWitt Avenue East overpass clearance is 22 feet, 6 inches. The clearance for U.S. 45 and the I-57 overpass at Neoga is posted at 13 feet, 9 inches.

Though Lincoln Springs Resort and Tours officials have declined comment on the accident, company executive David Kirsch told the newspaper Thursday, “My heart, my prayers and my sympathies go out to everyone.”

Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.

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kamfong wrote on Jun 5, 2009 12:46 PM:

" The photo clearly displays our tax dollars at work 1guy to hold the measure stick 1 guy to read the stick and the guy sittin on the gaurd rail jotting down the measurements, awesome. "

Rockin Rotty wrote on Jun 5, 2009 8:04 PM:

" How many IDOT workers does it take to install a light bulb? "

bigman43 wrote on Jun 6, 2009 1:03 AM:

" kamfong could you measure the height of an overpass by yourself? i think not, take in consideration the idiots that dont slow down when they see orange. there is more to it than meets the eye. and to rockin rotty, if you were to have the CHANCE to do the JOB that you criticise you would jump at it in a new york minute, and you know you would. just remember your criticism when the snow is blowing and it is below zero and the roads are open, just remember who did it, it was the guy sitting on the guard rail or the many guys it took to screw in the light bulb. "

kamfong wrote on Jun 6, 2009 10:36 PM:

" Bigman I bethcha I can measure an overpass by myself,for about 18.00 to 20.00 bucks an hour It might take me two days but I'd get it ,give or take a couple feet,lol,what's the state gonna do about it anyway,raise it a couple feet to accomadate double decker buses? Pretty doubtfull one of them will be going under there anytime soon.By the way did ya'll bother hitt'n a lick on the roadside trash detail while you were there? "

uncle db wrote on Jun 7, 2009 7:00 PM:

" I think it's pathetic how quickly some forget the lives lost and those affected by the tragic accident at this location and decide to make jokes about those involved with trying to ensure the safety of the traveling public. "

oneofthem wrote on Jun 7, 2009 7:48 PM:

" Have any of you that are leaving comments ever stood alongside the road with traffic going by at least 15 mph over the speed limit? It's being measured because as the world is today, you can bet there will be a lawsuit!! No matter where the fault lies it will all come back to the bridge, so IDOT is covering their bases. To all you jealous posters look at your job and ask yourself if you are being overpaid. I will bet you whiners make all too much for mediocre work you perform. Finally, the guys in the picture are a survey crew. They have nothing to do with trash or snow removal. "

Rockin Rotty wrote on Jun 7, 2009 7:55 PM:

" uncle db, an article has already come out about the deaths, & the one online was filled with respectful thoughts & prayers.

Does this mean every article that comes out, that has anything to do with the aspect of the death of the two men, is supposed to be filled with respectful feelings, sympathies, & best wishes posts? Every single time?

If you do, you need to come back to the real world my friend. "

kamfong wrote on Jun 7, 2009 8:23 PM:

" Unc Db, I'm sorry you feel that way but like I have to agrre with R.Rotty the sympathy thread has pretty much ran it's course and I showed my respect on that thread.To me this was just about pokin fun at the state workers,Whom I also really do respect.My job currently catches hell too. I dish out alot of crap but I also can take it as well.I suggest if your'e that soft don't read the public comment section. "

medic57 wrote on Jun 7, 2009 10:34 PM:

" And 15 to 20 guys slowing down traffif on a major highwigh to measure a 1 or 2 inch difference so the owner of Graywood can claim none of it was his fault, again. "

CLICK TO ENLARGE

An Illinois Department of Transportation crew takes measurements of the Interstate 57 overpass along westbound Illinois Route 16 in Mattoon, Ill., on Thursday, June 4, 2009. (Journal Gazette/ Times-Courier, Kevin Kilhoffer)