Truck collision with major bridge disrupts traffic on Erbil-Haji Omaran highway
Agrin Abdullah, the Kurdistan Region’s Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing, told Kurdistan24 that while a total bridge replacement would take one to two months, repairs could be done in a minimum of two weeks.
Dec. 28, 2024
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - The reports suggested that the Gali Ali Beg bridge is no longer safe for traffic following severe damage from a truck collision, with repairs expected to take at least two weeks, KRG officials announced on Saturday.
In the early hours of Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, a heavy truck crashed into the bridge structure, causing considerable damage and forcing the closure of the main route between Erbil and the Haji Omaran border crossing.
"Our investigation discovers that roughly 85 percent of the bridge structure has been compromised and is unsafe for traffic," Karwan Mirawdeli, Director of Soran Civil Defense, told Kurdistan24 reporter Tayfur Mohammed.
Engineering teams are currently evaluating whether the bridge necessitates repairs or complete replacement.
Mirawdeli cautioned that any delay in addressing the situation could cause serious safety risks and increased accidents in the area.
Agrin Abdullah, the Kurdistan Region’s Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing, told Kurdistan24 that while a total bridge replacement would take one to two months, repairs could be done in a minimum of two weeks.
The Gali Ali Beg bridge (Ali Bag Canyon) serves as a vital connection point on one of the Kurdistan Region's main commercial routes, connecting the regional capital Erbil with the Iranian border through the Haji Omaran crossing.
Its closure considerably impacts both commercial traffic and civilian movement in the region.
The incident underlines ongoing concerns about infrastructure safety and maintenance in the Kurdistan Region, mainly regarding heavy vehicle traffic on major transportation routes.
