[PRCo] Re: Weak Bridges

[John Swindler]

That I-35 bridge was under reconstruction, so had construction equipment 
sitting in some of the lanes, and the stopped traffic concentrated vehicle 
weights on the spans.  With moving traffic, there is empty space between 
vehicles.

So Rankin and Donora bridges should not be a concern if traffic is light and 
moving.  Our automobiles are not the problem.

PennDOT issued a news release to calm the masses that if bridge is open, it 
is safe.  Wasn't the I-35 bridge open, and wasn't the I-95 bridge in Conn. 
open some 20 years ago?

But then again, infrastructure repair doesn't generate votes.  And what was 
the max. axle load 30/40/50 years ago when these bridges were designed and 
what is it today?

John


>From: Fred Schneider <fwschneider at comcast.net>
>Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>Subject: [PRCo] Weak Bridges
>Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:22:47 -0400
>
>On the subject of weak bridges, Pennsylvania's politicians finally
>bit the bullet and today released a list of structurally deficient
>bridges.   Except for a couple in Carbon County and one over the
>Lehigh River at West Catasauqua, most are either in Erie County (both
>eastbound and westbound spans on I-95 at Northeast PA), or Allegheny,
>or Beaver or Washington counties.   The Rankin Bridge, that replaced
>the one that fell under the over loaded work car in 1937, is one of
>those on today's list of spans you really don't want to cross.
>Another (get this one Jerry) is the Donora to Monessen span.
>
>

_________________________________________________________________
Puzzles, trivia teasers, word scrambles and more. Play for your chance to 
win! http://club.live.com/home.aspx?icid=CLUB_hotmailtextlink