Knocked over utility pole caused delays in Elgin

Route 31 in Elgin was closed for about 10 hours into early Wednesday after a single-vehicle crash snapped a utility pole.

Elgin Police Lt. Gene O’Shea said the vehicle was southbound on Route 31 when it left the roadway near Big Timber Road and struck the pole at about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday. “The pole snapped and came down onto wires, and it was hanging onto the roadway by the wires,” he said. “We couldn’t let traffic pass underneath.”

The driver of the vehicle suffered injuries that are not considered life-threatening, O’Shea said. The cause of the crash is still being investigated; alcohol and drugs are not suspected to be a factor, he said.

Route 31 was shut down from Big Timber to Wing Street. Repair crews from AT&T arrived at 6 a.m. to repair the damaged telephone lines and remove the pole. The road was reopened just before 8:50 a.m., O’Shea said.

Elgin Police Cmdr. Glenn Theriault said the repair crews’ delay in responding caused significant inconvenience for morning commuters.

“It’s very frustrating when utility companies do not have quick responses, as it impacts a significant amount of people who are trying to get to work,” he said.

Representatives from AT&T weren’t immediately available for comment Wednesday.