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« Update: 2 Mass. men victims of Smithfield crash | Today | Judge: Fire survivors' lawyers can question Biechele » August 3, 2007Update: RITBA says Pell, Mt. Hope bridges safe
Both the Pell Bridge and Mount Hope Bridge have been thoroughly inspected and regularly maintained and motorists should feel assured of their integrity despite the deadly collapse this week of the Interstate 35 span in Minneapolis, according to authority chairman David Darlington. “I can report, without reservation, that both bridges entrusted to this authority are in very good shape,” Darlington said at a news conference outside the authority’s headquarters, at the Pell Bridge tolls. Unlike many other bridges in Rhode Island, the spans are not the responsibility of the state Department of Transportation. “As of late 2006 -- just months ago -- we completed inspections that are part of an on-going inspection regime in which major bridge components are inspected annually. These inspections have satisfied us that our maintenance and rehabilitation efforts have been successful in placing major bridge components to a state of good repair,” he said. Darlington said the authority has spent $50 million on bridge repair and maintenance, $10 million in just the past year alone. Another $120 million will be spent over the next 10 years on the two spans, which he described as “aging.” Peter M. Janaros, the authority’s director of engineering, held up two reports -- each a couple of inches thick -- on the results of recent inspections of the two spans. “It’s not an inspection periodically. These bridges receive an inspection each year,” Janaros said. “These inspections are done by professional engineers by professional companies.” Janaros said the inspections occur every year -- twice as frequently as federal regulations call for -- because they are so large, because safety is paramount and because of their importance to the economy of the state. He and Darlington noted both of the authority’s spans are suspension bridges, unlike the truss bridge that failed in Minneapolis. The engineering firms that inspected them have expertise in suspension designs, said Janaros. PB Americas, which is the consultant on the Pell Bridge, designed the span and oversaw its construction. -- Journal staff writer Richard Salit, with reports from the Associated Press Reading from the report, Janaros said the 78-year-old Mount Hope Bridge, which connects Bristol and Portsmouth, “is in generally good condition.” The rehabilitation of the bridge, which has been taking place for the last few years, has been “successful in having the major components established in good shape.” As for the 38-year-old Pell Bridge, formerly known as the Newport Bridge, he said that engineers determined that “The bridge is in good condition and functions as designed.” Posted by Mike McKinney CommentsJoe | August 3, 2007 7:40 PM link What about the Jamestown Bridge? There were many problems with the building of that J | August 6, 2007 12:50 PM link Post a commentPlease be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish. |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006
all the bridges are in good shape until they fall and people die.
then the finger pointing starts.
remember this guys name and his speech that the bridges are safe so when the fall next week or next month we know who to sue.