[PRCo] Re: Birmingham Bridge

[Derrick J Brashear]

On Fri, 25 Jul 2008, Fred Schneider wrote:

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_Bridge
>
> There is a nice article today in USA Today on the condition of
> bridges on our highways ... the wholly expected diatribe about how
> our politicians have been ducking repairs because you have to raise
> road taxes to do it.   Pennsylvania has the highest percentage of
> bridges that are falling apart of any state ... 26% of them are
> deficient.  Perhaps we also have the highest percentage of deficient
> politicians?
>
> Interestingly the Birmingham Bridge in Pittsburgh is described as one
> of the worst.   We are told in USA Today that it is OLD.  I'm not
> sure I understand how a bridge built in 1971 can be considered old

try 1976 or 77? and this made local media months ago, and penndot claimed 
the deficient condition had been corrected (not the pier hinge issue)

i have my theory. you don't care.

> when the 6th, 7th and 9th Street Bridges are at least 42 years older
> than it is.  The 10th Street suspension bridge is about 38 years
> older.  The Crossing (40th) Street Bridge is 47 years older. The 16th
> Street Bridge is 48 years older.  The stone arch Lincoln Avenue
> Bridge over Washington Blvd. is 63 years older.   Kee-rist man, I can
> remember when the doctor who amputated an iron workers leg up on the
> old Brady Street Bridge made National news when they were tearing it
> down to build this OLD Birmingham Bridge.
>
> Come to think of it, perhaps the only major OLD bridges in Allegheny
> County that are newer than the Birmingham Bridge are the replacement
> bridges over the Ohio to Neville Island (they were built in the early
> 1980s) and the I-79 structure over Ohio River (1974).   (Remember
> when they closed the I-79 bridge because a boat captain looked up and
> saw something fishy ... pun not intended?)

veterans' bridge on crosstown blvd? new clairton glassport bridge? new 
sewickley bridge?

> Maybe I just don't understand what an OLD bridge is?  But calling
> bridges OLD sells newspapers.  I guess it sells newspapers.   Helps
> to make people paranoid.
>
> But then I come from a county which still has over two dozen wooden
> covered bridges!
>
> Can any one out there tell me what is really wrong with the bridge?
> Was it a structurally bad design to begin with?  Was the construction
> work not inspected right back way back in Nineteen and Seventy One?
> Hey Bob Dietrich ... your daughter is a bridge engineer for PennDOT
> District 8 ... what has she got to say about that one?   Is there
> anyone else who knows anything about it?
>
> fws
>
>
>