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The Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel in Zion National Park was closed for several hours Monday when a semi truck became wedged inside.
The park learned of the mishap at about 11:45 a.m. Monday.
The tunnel was cleared several hours later, after a tow truck mechanic released air from the hydraulics on the trailer, lowering it enough that it could be driven out, park spokeswoman Aly Baltrus reported Wednesday.
The unloaded 18-wheeled semi was westbound when it became wedged about 600 feet from the tunnel's west exit. The driver was cited for operating the oversize vehicle in the tunnel without traffic control service.
Park officials are investigating potential structural damage done to the historic tunnel, according to a park news release.
After 4:30 p.m., daily, in fall and winter, the tunnel is closed to all vehicles that are over 11-foot-4 in height or 7-foot-10 width, due to no available traffic control service.
Semi trucks, commercial vehicles, and rigs over 50 feet long are not permitted to pass through the tunnel. Signs at both the entrance station and on State Road 9 near Mt. Carmel Junction warn motorists of the size restrictions and closure of the tunnel.
The driver stated that he was new to the area, that his GPS led him on the route, and that he followed another vehicle through the entrance station without noticing the signs.
The 1.1 mile tunnel is located on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway and was opened in 1930 in an effort to make it easier for visitors to reach Zion Canyon from Bryce Canyon or the Grand Canyon. At the time of its completion, it was the longest non-urban road tunnel in the United States. The Zion-Mount Carmel Highway and its features were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
Commercial vehicles that are not doing business within the park are not permitted to drive through the park because of the historic tunnel dimensions, tight turns to the tunnel's approach, narrow lanes, and wildlife.