[PRCo] Re: Weak Bridges

[Fred Schneider]

I knew I could kick around a little dust....   I remember adding up  
trailer weights at Norwalk Truck Lines around 36,000 lbs. when I  
worked for them in 1963.   Loads around 60,000 are probably more or  
less normal today with 53-foot semi trailers.



On Aug 15, 2007, at 10:04 PM, John Swindler wrote:

>
>
> 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.
>>
>>
>
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