Bridge Collapse

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by tw

One need only visit Philadelphia to view Interstate 95 some 40 feet above those neighborhoods. Rust is rampant everywhere. Is that 6 or 8 lanes highway ready for collapse?

I've been hearing "experts" grumbling, for several years, that the whole elevated section of I-95 through Philly should be completely rebuilt. What a clusterfuck that would be.

[tw]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I've been hearing "experts" grumbling, for several years, that the whole elevated section of I-95 through Philly should be completely rebuilt.

A point made (if I remember) in The Economist. There is no political reward for doing maintenance. Political reward is in building something new. Mayor Lindsay in NY had two choices. Maintain the bridges (ie Williamsburg) or rebuild Yankee Stadium - corporate welfare for the Yankees. Lindsay rebuilt Yankee Stadium.

Don't paint I-95 and don't do any maintenance on Veteran's Stadium - and the city will get everyone in PA to rebuild them. Phillies were given a new stadium for free paid for by all PA taxpayers. Clearly that was cheaper than standard maintenance.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Monday morning quarterbacking on the net.

At http://taxa.epi.umn.edu/bridge/ an Epidemiologist (it's about diseases, nothing to do with bridges or engineering) weighs in with his theory.

He's blaming the construction/repair work.... with 8 x 10 glossies and a paragraph on the back.

[warch]

Trying to share some pics of one of the sorting sites. Lots of scrap has gone through the site- metal, rebar and concrete. Barges bring it down, it is sorted and categorized then barged or trucked to another place for study.

not sure how to post a pic. If youre interested. you can send me a message and give me some posting tips...I give up!