Thousands of vehicles were delayed after a truck carrying a forklift hit an overpass on Interstate 805 in Chula Vista, southern California last week.

The Union-Tribune reported the flatbed truck could not clear the overpass at Orange Avenue and snagged an 80-foot-long (24.4-metre-long) steel beam.

Project engineer for the city of Chula Vista, Kirk Ammerman, said the California Army Guard was transporting the forklift from National City to San Ysidro.

The impact of hitting the bridge at 55mph (88.5kmph) snapped a 6-inch (0.15 metre) piece of steel off the top of the forklift, shattered the windshield and severed several hydraulic lines, state Department of Transportation officials said.

A crane was used to move the steel beam back to its original position, Ammerman said.

Police closed the road for two hours and more than 6000 vehicles were delayed.