Posted on 07/16/2021 8:10:29 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
The 48-year-old Interstate 40 bridge between Arkansas and Tennessee was rated as being in “fair” condition with a sufficiency factor of 58% before a “significant” fracture was discovered on May 11. The structure has remained closed to traffic since that time as crews work to repair the damage, first stabilizing the bridge to accommodate the equipment needed and then removing and replacing the damaged portion of a 900-foot structural beam.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) said a fracture may be caused by overload, shock, fatigue or stress. A critical fracture could lead to collapse, if not properly repaired and maintained. Either way, it is beneficial to review bridge ratings and maintain inspections to prevent a collapse or further costly damages.
As Arkansas Department of Transportation Director Lorie Tudor said shortly after the damage was found, had the fracture not been discovered when it was, there might have been a “catastrophic” disaster.
Unfortunately, disasters such as this have occurred in the not-so-distant past.
In 2007, the eight-lane I-35 bridge crossing the Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapsed during repaving repairs. Opened in 1967, the bridge was one of Minnesota’s busiest, carrying more than 140,000 vehicles daily. Since 1990, the bridge had been given a rating of “structurally deficient” by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The term structurally deficient refers to a classification given to a bridge that has components in poor or worsening conditions, according to the National Bridge Inventory. This rating can potentially lead to the structure being undermined and overtopped during a severe weather event or, if neglected, a bridge collapse.
A design flaw involving undersized gusset plates, which connect the structural beams to the bridge, was determined to be a contributing factor in the Minneapolis collapse. There were 13 deaths and 145 seriously injured from the collapse.
(Excerpt) Read more at thetrucker.com ...
PING!
This story cannot be true. obama and biden fixed all the roads and bridges starting in 2009. I saw all the signs posted that thanks to them all was being fixed.
Maybe just the construction of the signs?
This country is not what it once was and neither are its structures or institutions.
Rot has set in.
The RATS pulled this stunt when Obozo was seated. It was so awful that we needed trillions to fix them all.
So where did that money go? The bridges still suck and we need trillions to fix them.
Yea. Duct tape won’t cut it on this one.
Oh good God.
This was what they said when the I35 bridge fell in Minneapolis.
“All bridges need to be checked!” Like it was the end of the world. Here we are 20 years later with few such issues and they whine that we’re in terrible shape again.
The cracked section could have had doublers added to it, and the load limit on the bridge reduced, forcing heavy trucks to have to take an alternate route, but the bridge should have been reopened to traffic long before this.
That’s okay, because we are going to pass a “human” infrastructure bill, which is a complete oxymoron. Infrastructure is by definition physical.
Just like “shovel ready” was a complete sham cover for funding social reconstruction (power grab), I would posit that the infrastructure bill that doesn’t even fund infrastructure wont even fund people. It will inevitably fund political organizations.
Oh wasn’t that pathetic and condescending?
Lots like the COVID admonishments now.
Correct. Due to Political Correctness and Affirmative Action. American Craftsmen are a thing of the Past. Who designed the railroad trestles, the high way bridges, overpasses, tunnels. The buildings, the skyscrapers, airplanes, the airports, the condos? Competent American Craftsmen and women. Political Correctness and Affirmative Action has taken care of that. Now it is what sex, color. or Gender one happens to be instead of, Are you competent to do the job?
Yes something could be done probably even before determining the root cause.
But even that costs money that they must spend on welfare ne’er-do-wells.
Been paying fuel taxes out-the-wazoo for decades.
Where did all the money go?
Let it all burn.
The rats probably had a demo team go to work to produce a big news story to help push their infrastructure boondoggle.
Engineering is what designs.
And while PC has been big for years, I don’t think most of these structures were built in that recent time. Which is what people imply is the problem….that they’re old. Old doesn’t mean bad, just requires maintenance. Which apparently isn’t happening enough. And that is where PC engineering might have worse effect….those entrusted to repair and modify faulty parts.
Crews have been working on the Arkasas-Tennesse bridge for at least twenty years. The rake-offs by now must be astounding.
We don’t need any sink’n bridges! Bridges are racist! We need bike lanes and electric bus that break down and can’t be fixed and can’t hold a charge long enough to last half of a regular day of service and lots of money lining government official’s pockets
I knew it.
Time to bring up the Minneapolis bridge again.
I drove by it one week before the collapse.
There were huge holes in the bridge deck probably to fix rust.
Most likely that was the reason it failed.
Contractor or employee error.
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