Tag Archives: F*’d up Fridays

Now, call me crazy, but would you travel on a major bridge if it were falling apart? The Innerbelt Bridge here in Cleveland is about 50 years old. After the Minnesota bridge collapse in 07, suddenly inspectors were all over our nations bridges. Of course, I’m sure all inspectors would say, as inspectors here did, that they did ‘regular inspections’….but that leads me to question why was, in a 2007 report, the Innerbelt Bridge:

*was rated “poor” (4 on a scale of 0-9)

*the 34 steel gusset plates required “emergency repair” (as when originally installed they were 1/2″ thick….but only 1/8″ thick when inspected in 07.   Some actually bowed 7/16″)

*several bolts were missing or loose.

*some beams had rust up to 1½ inches thick

Now, jump back in time somewhat to 1996. In Lake County, Ohio (very close to Cleveland) the Interstate 90 bridge over the Grand River failed. Again, gusset plates. Inspectors were told in 1996 to carefully examine gusset plates in Ohio bridges, but somehow the 34 deteriorating plates were not detected until the Minnesota bridge went down in 07.

Ummmm, helllooooo? Weren’t detected? Sounds more like someone  didn’t do what they were supposed to do. How can all 34 gusset plates need emergency repair, be half of their original thickness, and no one noticed? Not to mention all those missing bolts. (I wonder if they go to the same place that missing socks go?)     Duh. Big duh.

Over this summer ODOT spent $10 million reinforcing the bridge.    But over the last couple weeks there is something weird brewing here. Now they are closing ramps to the bridge and siting failing supports. They say they are ‘aging faster than expected’. Lanes of traffic have been reduced from 8 total to 4 (2 lanes in each direction) because tests they have done have indicated where the ‘weak areas’ or ‘greatest areas of stress’ are and should not be holding heavy weight.   Noting also:  corroded steel chords, where the truss meets the arch and pier.

I shake my head and say, “What you talkin bout Willis?”

They have also banned buses and trucks from using the bridge all together, although 19,000 trucks have ignored hundreds of signs over the last week and have driven over it anyhow. And school buses are caught zipping along.

Now they say snow plows will be restricted from riding side-by-side when plowing. Hummmm……sounds to me like a bigger problem than they are letting on. Oh, but let me be clear, ODOT says it’s safe to travel the bridge.

How safe are the bridges in your city?

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