BRIDGE INSPECTORS: "Nahhh Don't worry! Ya'll is Good to Go"
Goliath Plan is to shut down the Kennedy Bridge and force the nitwits and lollygaggers to pay attention. Him recommend Mayor Gallergan send up his City inspectors and check it out. But, why wait. Check out today's Courier Journal that is whitewashing the issue.
"Sam Rangaswamy, a structural engineer in Louisville, said the finding that little has changed on Kennedy since last year doesn’t give him a great deal of confidence.
He said previous inspection reports didn’t explain what underlying problems caused the wear and tear on the broken anchor bolt and other structural features of the bridge.
He added that he has more confidence in the condition of the Second Street bridge than the Kennedy Bridge.
Rogers said Kentucky is responsible for maintenance of the Second Street Bridge, but he declined to comment on its condition without reviewing recent reports on it. However, Rogers said, the Kennedy Bridge is safe, adding that “we’d shut it down if it wasn’t.” (CJ Story 9-20-10 by Ben Hershberg)
Don't you feel GREAT that the safety is deem 'OK' by same people that took $60 Million and a decade to PAINT a bridge? Yee Haw!
Plus these guys inspire a LOT of CONFIDENCE! Check out that photo above. Realize that
your life is in hands of these fellers 'judgment'. Yep. Excellent!
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If you read the article, you will see a couple things worth commenting on. First this thing has a rating of 75 out of 100. Maybe Goliath just a jaded Giant, but Sad to say, I bet those numbers are way way 'forgiving'. Would be interested to see what a non state (i.e. objective) inspector rated it. Second thing is the discovery of 'voids' in the structure. If I am understanding this here correctly, it means that concrete has vibrated out or otherwise detached under the road surface. The man uoted in the article says 'these could develop into potholes'.
Hmmm. Potholes?
Sorry, but I am a paranoid feller and imagine a section of concrete road bed detacthing and falling into the river. Then where will the cars go? "into the pothole?"
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This makes my head spin. (not good for Goliath's old neck wounds). I so easily magine a future news story...like the bridge in Minnesota a while back. "Engineers
reveal they had concerns years ago." would be a likely headline.
Take a look at that picture folks.
Here's the url link : http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100920/NEWS02/309200086/1025/Inspectors+find+worn+deck++rough+expansion+joints+on+Kennedy+Bridge
Comments
a red head step child by Goliath HT.
What about MY PET BAT? As YOU is a candidate I DEMAND AN ANSWER!! You is ignoring and deflecting from this here question ANSWER ME NOW!!!
But, I must admonish you HT, you
is deflecting off the topic of this
particular post. Please take your comments about Pets over to the Chatterbox if you insists on talking about them--the Moderator.
You can check bridge ratings at nationalbridges.com.
If you look up the Kennedy and the 2006 rating, note the Structural Evaluation is...
"Equal to present minimum criteria."
That doesn't sound so good. In fact, the next step down on the Structural Evaluation scale is...
" Somewhat better than minimum adequacy to tolerate being left in place as is".
Which as we all know is engineering jibber jabber for, "I hope you know how to swim."
The 2008 estimate shows daily traffic as 136,000. The bridge was designed for only 85,000 vehicles a day.
What do you think that's doing to that piece of rust?
Estimates are this will increase by around 40% by 2025.
While I am against tolls I am for economic health. The bridge will need major renovation soon as it is nearing the end of it's projected lifespan.
Without a new downtown bridge to carry the traffic that the Kennedy would normally carry, the economic impact on our area would be devastating. Not to mention we need the estimated 50,000 plus jobs construction will bring.
Last note, the last estimated total improvement project cost for the Kennedy was $86,929,000.