Police closed Highway 403 in both directions at Wayne Gretzky Parkway on Monday afternoon after a piece of the overpass bridge fell onto the roadway.
Brantford police said the overpass also is closed in both directions.
Police said 403 traffic is being rerouted to bypass the Gretzky parkway exit.
The damage is the result of a commercial vehicle hitting the overpass at about 2 pm, police said. No one was injured in the crash.
City of Brantford officials said the area is closed while investigators and engineers with the Ministry of Transportation assess the damage.
“It is our understanding that there are no injuries as a result of today’s incident,” the city said in a news release Monday afternoon. “MTO, who has jurisdiction over Ontario highways, is leading the investigation and response to this incident.”
The city said access to the Gretzky parkway northbound and southbound lanes and 403 eastbound lane will be closed until further notice.
The city said emergency routes are in place:
They include:
• 403 traffic exiting off and on at Garden Avenue and King George Road to access either Colborne Street or Fairview Drive.
• And Gretzky parkway northbound and southbound closure will require motorists to use North Park Street, Paris Road, King George Road or Garden Avenue to travel over the 403.
It is the second such incident involving the overpass this year.
On Jan. 14, a truck pulling a trailer and what is believed to be an excavator hit the overpass, causing a “substantial amount” of concrete to fall onto the 403, police said at the time.
Several vehicles were damaged while driving over the debris but no injuries were reported.
Ministry officials were called to the site at the time to conduct an assessment of the bridge.
A ministry spokesperson said additional structural investigations were required to determine the extent of the damage.
The median northbound lane of the bridge has remained closed since the accident.
Later in January, OPP charged a truck driver and a business in connection with damage to the overpass.
The driver is charged with failing to remain at an accident and operating an overheight vehicle.
The business is charged with operating an overheight vehicle.