Bridge Damaged by Impact From Truck - KTUL.com - Tulsa, Oklahoma - News, Weather & Sports

At roughly 40 miles per hour, when steel hits steel, it turns into butter.

"That is one heck of a hit, big hit," said Martin Stewart with ODOT.

A hit precipitated by truck driving with a raised bed. Police say the driver knew the vehicle had been having issues with raising, but was unaware it was in the air before impact. And what an impact it was.

"It actually lifted the roadway up off the beam," said Stewart.

A beam that ripped like tissue, backed by a support that twisted like licorice. The fallout? An already narrow approach to the area, now down to one lane, with the eastbound side to be closed overnight and through Tuesday for evaluation.

"Because of the weights that the interstates carries from trucks and traffic we don't want to start bouncing and deteriorating any further," said Stewart.