Truck driver charged in crash that shut down Red Hill Valley Pkwy.

The driver of the transport truck that crashed on the Red Hill Valley Parkway last week, spilling 44,000 litres of liquid asphalt onto the roadway, has been charged.

The 34-year-old Hamilton man faces one count of careless driving in the collision that caused a massive hours-long closure on the Red Hill in both directions Thursday.

The truck was travelling northbound on the parkway just after 4:30 a.m. when it struck the King St. overpass abutment and rolled over.

Police say the truck was carrying a load of liquid asphalt which spilled onto the northbound and southbound lanes of the parkway as well as the grassy median under the overpass.

The truck driver and a 47-year-old passenger were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Bam! Truck back on its feet. One step closer to this clean up pic.twitter.com/3ZODxyeem8

— Sylvie Lendvay (@sylvie_lendvay) November 22, 2018

The cold temperatures helped contain the spill by freezing the sticky substance. City of Hamilton road crews, Hamilton Fire Department and the Ministry of Environment worked throughout the day and into the evening to chip away at the hardened asphalt.

Liquid asphalt is now SOLID. crews are chipping away at it – looks like it’s going to be a long operation pic.twitter.com/s1m2dkD241

— Sylvie Lendvay (@sylvie_lendvay) November 22, 2018

City crews did an emergency repaving on the roadway, shaving off two inches of damaged pavement and laying new asphalt on top. The broken guardrail and CP Rail abutment were also repaired.

The roadway was reopened Thursday evening, following the evening commute.

Scraping out all the hardened asphalt … hearing this clean up could go into the evening. pic.twitter.com/Ik7mtIPZLH

— Sylvie Lendvay (@sylvie_lendvay) November 22, 2018