COSTA MESA : Stuck Crane Forces Boulevard to Close
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A stuck crane forced the closure of southbound Newport Boulevard on Tuesday, diverting thousands of drivers as police and construction crews struggled to move it.
“They were trying to get it out, and the crane just got stuck,” said Jeanette Chevony, community service officer for the Costa Mesa Police Department. “We had to have different units trading off all afternoon.”
The crane had been used for part of the construction of the Costa Mesa Freeway extension, which opened Tuesday. But then on the day that was to herald the end of snarled traffic in the area, the snafu tied it up again.
“It’s hard on the first day,” Chevony said. “All those merchants down there are the ones who’ve been putting up with this construction for all this time.”
Police were called in to deal with the situation at 1:20 p.m. and were on the scene until 5:39 p.m., Chevony added. The crane was then sent on its way, and the street reopened.
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