Hempstead Turnpike reopens after crane of truck hits overpass at Hofstra University

The school has also added extra public safety officers to road level crossings to keep people safe.

News 12 Staff

Nov 11, 2022, 10:29 AM

Updated 679 days ago

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After some massive delays the past two days, officials say Hempstead Turnpike is back open eastbound between Oak Street and California Avenue near Hofstra University.
On Thursday just after 2 p.m., a roll-off dumpster truck with its platform in the up position hit the west side of the unispan walkway while the truck was driving in the eastbound lane.
There is no word on how the truck was able to drive in that position, but the truck driver was injured when it hit the walkway. He is now recovering, according to Hofstra's president.
Hofstra University says no students or staff were on the walkway when the accident happened, and there were no injuries other than that driver.
Engineers from New York State, the Town of Hempstead Building Department, and private contractors for the university worked through the night to repair the unispan.
By late Friday morning, Hofstra University President Susan Posner said the roadway was reopened, but the walkway will remain closed for the time being.
The unispan connects the Student Center to the library and is well used by students.
"We got very lucky no students were on the unispan," Poser says.
Some students say they felt vibrations through the connecting library and student center.
The university says there are two other walkways over Hempstead Turnpike that can be used by students and staff. The school has also added extra public safety officers to road level crossings to keep people safe.
Some students still say they feel uncomfortable crossing Hempstead Turnpike, which can get very busy. They also say they'll be a little concerned when the unispan does reopen, but feel that it's safer than the crosswalk.
The university tells News 12 the walkway can be repaired and that the work will be done during the overnight hours to minimize traffic delays.
Credit: Francis Argueta
Credit: Francis Argueta