The crumbling Casey Overpass must be wrapped in fabric netting or otherwise outfitted to protect passers-by from more falling debris.
We are lucky that the concrete and asphalt that fell off the overpass on Aug. 31 landed on empty ground rather than on, say, schoolkids or a windshield. We might not be so lucky in the future.
Parts of the overpass are already wrapped in fabric for exactly that reason, pending its forthcoming demolition. But MassDOT says that the rest of the overpass can’t be wrapped because it would get in the way of maintenance. Hardly a convincing argument, considering that its maintenance did not prevent debris falling off in the first place.
We do not want a miniature repeat of MassDOT’s Central Artery tunnel debris issues here. Whatever pain it would be for MassDOT crews to work around netting is nothing compared to what an accident victim would feel. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of concrete on somebody’s head.