Talking Points

New Report on U.S. Bridges Released as I-35 Bridge Collapse Anniversary Approaches

Nearly one year to the date of last year’s I-35 Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis, a report released yesterday says at least one in four U.S. bridges needs repairs and at least $140 billion is needed to make them.

According to the report, 152,000 of the country’s 600,000 bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. The report says the five main problems facing these bridges are: age, congestion, soaring construction costs, lack of funds for maintenance and the staggering costs associated with new bridges.

More than a dozen people were killed and 145 injured when the I-35 bridge collapsed Aug. 1, 2007 bridge collapse. The NTSB determined the bridge collapsed under the weight of tons of sand and construction materials that were stored at two of the structure’s weakest points. See the report here.

Bridge safety continues to be a concern across the nation. Last weekend, a 1,200-lb chunk of concrete fell onto highway traffic after the slab tore off the underside of an overpass in St. Paul, MN. An inspection on the I-35E overpasses says the 50-year-old bridge is “structurally safe.”

If you’re concerned about troubled bridges in your state, you can check them out here.

Firm Recommends Installing 900 New Support Anchors in Big Dig Tunnel

The Boston Globe is reporting today that an engineering firm is recommending the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority install about 900 new support anchors in the Ted Williams Tunnel. This is the same firm that was hired to inspect all Boston Big Dig tunnels following the July 2006 Boston Big Dig tunnel collapse that killed a 38-year-old woman when the car she was riding in was crushed by falling ceiling panels.

Powers Fasteners of Brewster, NY was charged last summer with a single count of involuntary manslaughter in the woman’s death. Milena Del Valle was killed in July 2006 with a portion of Boston’s Big Dig Interstate-90 connector tunnel ceiling collapsed and crushed the car she was riding in with her husband. Powers Fasteners provided the epoxy used to secure the bolts to suspend the tunnel roof ceiling. 

These anchors, according the Globe story, would be a backup in 250-ft sections near tunnel entrances which officials say are impossible to inspect because they were designed without a crawl space. These new supports would “fortify epoxy bolts, which were blamed for the fatal ceiling collapse.”

Gary Klein, an engineering consultant from Wiss, Janney, Elstner Assoc., the firm hired to review all the MTA’s roads, tunnels and bridges, gave this recommendation today at the Turnpike Authority’s monthly meeting. He did not estimate the cost of installation.

Criminal Charges Avoided: Big Dig Contractors' Settlement Tops $458 Million

The firms responsible for designing and managing Boston’s Big Dig project reached a $458 million settlement with state and federal officials today. The settlement will allow these companies to avoid criminal charges in the 2006 fatal tunnel collapse and any civil liabilities with infrastructure problems. The settlement and terms were announced this afternoon at a press conference with U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan and Attorney General Martha Coakley. Under the settlement terms, Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff will pay $407 million and 24 other companies involved in the project will pay about $51 million.

The settlement will keep Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff from facing criminal charges in the death of a 38-year-old woman who was killed in July 2006 when a portion of the I-90 Connector tunnel collapsed and crushed the car she was a passenger in. Her husband survived the accident.

State officials could seek additional money from Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff over the next 10 years if the project has a major failure in the future causing more than $50 million in damage. Its liability would be capped at $100 million.