Oopsies: Driver plows into Morrissey Boulevard drawbridge while it's up

There's probably a good reason a driver heading south on Morrissey Boulevard this afternoon missed the warning siren, the flashing lights and the gate and plowed right off the road and into the bridge. Or as MassDOT put it so delicately:

In Boston vehicle on Morrissey Blvd Bridge and stuck. Tow needed. Bridge temporarily closed.

Naturally, traffic was jammed for like an hour all the way back to the rotary by JFK/UMass.

Paul Nutting Jr. reports:

Lyft sticker in window. Broke through the gate which was in the down position. It’s being repaired now.

Steve Collins, who was six cars away from the bridge at the time, reports:

Behind me, chaos. People turning onto the sidewalk because of the guardrail, but Columbia circle was completely jammed. Finally, the guy in front of me told me to backup, and follow him. We jumped onto the sidewalk. I thought we going to head to Columbia circle, but he took a left, and our caravan of cars took the sidewalk around the beaches and headed to Savin Hill.

Thanks, stranger, for getting me out of that crap after sitting there for a half hour. Apologies to the pedestrians and people sitting on the benches. Probably wasn't necessary to raise your feet and put them on the bench, however.