Southbound lanes of Highway 287 to be closed 7 to 10 days after deadly garbage truck crash, Fort Worth police say

The southbound lanes of Highway 287 will be closed for at least a week after a garbage truck hit a bridge overpass, killing the driver Wednesday night, officials said. 

Crews were called to the 3500 block of Highway 287, also known as Martin Luther King Freeway, around 6 p.m. for a crash, the Fort Worth Fire Department said.

The truck was exiting the highway when it struck several supporting pillars of the highway bridge over Erath Street, Fort Worth FD said. The driver, later identified as 33-year-old Tyler Bradley Shivers, was ejected and declared dead on the scene. The fire department said the passenger is in critical condition. 

At Highway 287, also known as Martin Luther King Freeway, and Erath Street, all lanes were closed at Erath Street on Wednesday. Southbound drivers were forced to exit at Berry Street. Northbound drivers were forced to exit Miller Street. 

Early Friday morning, TxDOT cameras showed half of the bridge over Erath Street being demolished. Officials said all northbound lanes at US 287 and Erath Street, south of downtown Fort Worth, are open while work continues in the southbound lanes.

Fort Worth PD told CBS News Texas that the southbound lanes will be closed for 7 to 10 days as crews continue to evaluate and repair the structure. 

The cause of the crash is under investigation.