The B-double truck, carrying 39 tonnes of timber, was heading towards Warrnambool when it overturned close to the Shaw River bridge just after 3am.

The truck skidded for more than 70 metres before coming to rest on its side in the bridge's east-bound lane, leaking some diesel onto the road.

Senior Constable Chris Carr, of Port Fairy police, said the truck driver was taken to South West Healthcare's Warrnambool hospital for treatment of minor head injuries.

He said fog seen at daybreak was not believed to have obstructed the driver's view of the road.

"The driver lost control of the vehicle quite close to the bridge heading into Yambuk and slid for some distance before coming to rest on the bridge," he said. "The driver managed to escape through a broken window and was lucky not to have been seriously injured.

"(Yesterday's) incident is a reminder to all drivers to slow down when approaching even slight bends in the road."

Senior Constable Carr said local traffic was restricted to one lane on the bridge while heavy vehicles and long-distance motorists were redirected along the Port Fairy-Hamilton Road to Broadwater, then along the Heywood-Woolsthorpe Road to link back up with the highway at either Tyrendarra or Heywood.

The Princes Highway was expected to be reopened last night.

Electricity was cut to more than 100 homes around the Yambuk district between midday and 4pm while crews cut wires near the bridge to allow for a large crane to right the truck.

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