HONOLULU -- Honolulu police reopened two Honolulu-bound lanes of the H-1 Freeway on Friday after a truck hit the Gulick Avenue overpass.

The concrete debris littering the H-1 Freeway forced police to shut down two lanes.

A flatbed truck with a mobile crane took out a large chunk of the Gulick Avenue overpass just before 11 a.m. Officials reopened the lanes at 12:36 p.m.

Hawaiian Electric Co. employees working in the substation next to the overpass heard the collision.

"It was a loud boom and then we seen a cloud of smoke rise above, and we knew at that time something hit the bridge," HECO worker Kawehi Kekauoha said.

The state Department of Transportation sent engineers to the scene to determine whether there was structural damage.

DOT engineers determined the overpass is structurally sound.

Motorists can expect lane closures overnight, possibly starting next week, so crews can patch up the damage to the overpass.

Jensen Precast owns the truck.

Department of Transportation officials said they believe this may be the company's first violation.

"It did not have a permit, but according to our initial reports, this type of truck may not have required a permit as long as the crane boom was totally retracted and lowered. Obviously it was not," Department of Transportation Director Brennon Morioka said.

The Gulick Avenue overpass has a history of being hit. In a span of five weeks starting in mid-March 2008, the overpass was struck three times with cargo that exceeded the 14-foot 3-inch height limit.

The overpass is shortest bridge on the H-1 Freeway, but DOT officials said there are not many options to remedy the situation.

"All of the trucking companies are aware of it so they should know what the procedures are. The only alternative is raising the bridge, the height of the bridge, but that would cost tens of millions of dollars," Morioka said.

Kalihi Waena Elementary School sits next to the overpass.

"We're getting kind of used to it which is kind of sad," Kalihi Waena Elementary School Vice Principal Stephen Warner said.

Each time it happens, it is always the kids safety that comes to mind first, Warner said.

Fines for trucking companies without a permit start at $250. They are also required to pay for damage repairs. The initial estimate for Friday's incident is $10,000.