The dump truck can be seen on video entering the intersection with its dump box extended before crashing into the stanchion holding the traffic lights

Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today

Drivers in East Vancouver witnessed an uncommon traffic incident Monday afternoon when a dump truck with its dump box fully extended took out a traffic light at the intersection of SE 192nd Ave. and SE 1st Street. 

The dump truck can be seen on a video shared on social media waiting at a stop light on SE 1st Street waiting to turn left to head northbound on SE 192nd Ave. As traffic in the truck’s lane began to enter the intersection to make the left-hand turn, the truck’s dump box can be seen colliding with the stanchion that holds the traffic signals, turning the apparatus in the direction the truck was traveling before crashing to the ground.

“I work in excavation and as someone who deals with dump trucks weekly, if not daily, I know that the dump box absolutely should not be up unless the driver is spreading the aggregate,’’ said the witness who shot the video, who asked not to be identified. “I pulled out my phone and started to get a video once I knew something bad was about to happen. I was too far away to warn him or honk or I would have tried. He ended up rolling through the intersection taking out one traffic light pole as well as the adjacent light itself.’’

The truck, owned by the Nutter Corporation, stopped at the scene. It was being used to conduct work for a private entity at the time of the collision. The incident took place within the city of Vancouver. A spokesperson for the Vancouver Police Department told Clark County Today that law enforcement was not called to respond to the scene. 

Vancouver Public Works did respond to the scene. Nicole Waters, strategic communications manager for Vancouver Public Works, told Clark County Today the estimated cost of repair was $100,000, which includes the cost of temporary and permanent signal replacement.

Waters said the intersection is now a four-way flash signal and that travelers should approach it as a four-way stop sign. 

“We are evaluating both near-term and permanent options for the replacement of the signal,’’ Waters said. “For the safety of our travelers, we will have a temporary solution in place in about a week. The permanent replacement will take several months to procure materials and install. This unfortunate accident occurred during active construction improvements. Detours are in effect in this area that have resulted in increased traffic volume. Avoiding the intersection is encouraged.’’