[MeganC]

What’s really sad is that a coat of paint on the bridge would have prevented the corrosion and collapse.

[texas booster]

Morandi himself was surprised to see the structure age faster than he had anticipated. In 1979 he issued a report detailing a number of interventions to protect the structure against pollution from nearby factories and the salty sea air.

Little, however, was done, and by 1992 the trademark concrete cables were heavily corroded. The company that managed the bridge, Autostrade per l’Italia – then owned by the state – decided to add extra new cables around the corroded ones, rather than replace them. It also neglected to retrofit the remaining two sets.

Push back on maintenance and any structure will eventually fail, especially near the sea.

But since the Italian government was responsible there is no one to punish except for the taxpayers.

Much like the US.