March 24, 2021
Nebraska

Wind turbine blade blocks westbound Interstate 80 traffic near Gretna

By Gina Dvorak | WOwT | Published: Mar. 23, 2021 | www.wowt.com

Authorities advised westbound Interstate 80 drivers traveling with plans to travel past Gretna should find an alternate route after a turbine blade slipped onto the roadway.

A wind turbine blade was blocking westbound traffic on Interstate 80 on Tuesday afternoon, March 23, 2021.(Sgt. Kyle Percifield / Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office)

Sarpy County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kyle Percifield tweeted a photo of the blade, noting that drivers would not be able to get past the Highway 31 exit at Gretna until the turbine was removed.

Percifield told 6 News weather played a role in the accident.

“Weather did make the shoulder soft, causing it to get stuck when the wheels went onto the shoulder,” he said.

In an odd twist, there was a lemur in one of the convoy vehicles, which Percifield snapped a photo of, noting in his tweet that the animal was named Phineas.

A Nebraska Humane Society spokeswoman said that lemurs, considered exotic animals, aren’t allowed as pets here in the Omaha-metro. Health permits would be required as the driver was passing through, which is something she said is smart to have when traveling across state lines with any animal – even cats and dogs.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/03/24/wind-turbine-blade-blocks-westbound-interstate-80-traffic-near-gretna/