When Al Schipfel was driving his truck down Wharton Street near the beginning of December, he was surprised when he drove over a trench cut in the asphalt.
The axle of his utility trailer snapped and both trailer wheels rolled down the road.
“I wasn’t driving fast,” Schipfel said.
A passer-by on the road helped him get the trailer off the road. It was then towed to Lordco, a block away.
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While the trailer wheels were okay following the accident, the repair work included replacing the axle and the hubs on both sides of the trailer.
The cost of the repair was $720.
The trench had been dug in the road during the construction and upgrade work along the street.
Another motorist has also spoken with the Summerland Review about damages which occurred on Wharton Street after the street was reopened.
Earlier this year, Wharton Street had been closed for roughly five months during construction and upgrade work.
However, Anthony Haddad, chief administrative officer with the municipality of Summerland, said the street would not have been opened unless it was safe to do so.
He added that he has not heard of any other accidents or damages along the road.
“We haven’t had any direct complaints,” he said, but added that if there are deficiencies in the road, the contractor would be required to repair them in an efficient manner.
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