Bridge collapse no freak accident

[MDM4AU 339]

Bridge collapse no freak accident

U.S. infrastructure on verge of total failure, says expert

WASHINGTON – Americans breathed a sigh a relief when they learned the disastrous bridge collapse in Minneapolis was not an act of terror.

But the fatal failure of the 40-year-old structure may be worse news in the long run for the nation than had it fallen victim to an attack, says Thomas Rooney, president of Insituform Technologies of St. Louis, Mo.

"The U.S. Department of Transportation says 100,000 bridges in this country are structurally deficient," he says. "If 1 percent of 1 percent of these dangerous structures collapse, that is not accidental. That is predictable."

As bad as they are, bridges are in better shape than the rest of our infrastructure, says Rooney.

The EPA reports 3.5 million people got sick last year from 73,000 sewer pipe breaks around the country.

"Maybe some were accidents," he says. "But when something happens 73,000 times, that is no longer accidental. That is negligence."

Water pipes are even worse. In some parts of America, 50 percent of the drinking water leaks from bad pipes after it is treated but before it reaches the home, reports Rooney.

"Water officials mistakenly believe that it is cheaper to shove more water through leaky pipes than fix them," he says.

Rooney said last month's pipe explosion in Manhattan was also discounted as a mere accident.

"But these catastrophes were not accidents," says Rooney. "Not if the word has any meaning. Immediately following the bridge collapse, Minnesota officials said the same things as their counterparts in Manhattan just a few weeks ago. They had recently inspected the bridge and the pipe. And so it could not have been their fault."

Rooney continues: "As president of the largest sewer, oil and pipe repair company in the world, I've heard that excuse before – 73,000 times last year alone."

About 30 percent of America's nearly 500,000 bridges are categorized as "deficient" and in "urgent need of repair." In 11 Northeastern states, 50 percent of bridges not only need urgent repairs but are not designed to handle current traffic levels. Many of the bridges are 50 years or older – considerably older than the bridge in Minneapolis.

In New York, the Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883. The George Washington Bridge opened in 1931. It still carries 300,000 vehicles a day.

An estimated $1.6 trillion is needed over five years to bring America's infrastructure up to "safe standards."

"The nation is failing to even maintain the substandard conditions we currently have," said the report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers, "a dangerous trend that is affecting highway safety, as well as the health of the economy."

"Ignoring bad infrastructure and hoping it will do no harm is not an option anymore," says Rooney. "Places that take care of their infrastructure are safer, healthier and more prosperous."

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[otterinbham 0]

I agree with some of this, especially when we're talking about older cities in the Northeast.

But, at the same time, I hate how news organizations cover this stuff. Essentially, we've known about infrastructure problems for decades. But what I hate the most is how the media seeks out some guy with a vested interest in scaring the bejeezus out of people, and then let him blurt out a $1.5 trillion price tag. All because it makes great copy.

[jdub5793 0]

I agree with some of this, especially when we're talking about older cities in the Northeast.

But, at the same time, I hate how news organizations cover this stuff. Essentially, we've known about infrastructure problems for decades. But what I hate the most is how the media seeks out some guy with a vested interest in scaring the bejeezus out of people, and then let him blurt out a $1.5 trillion price tag. All because it makes great copy.

Well, of course the number is used to grab attention. But isn't that attention warrented if it can save lives? Look, I understand that sometimes media members overexagerate to sell papers or garner their share of TV time, and I hate it when an un-newsworthy story blows up too fast just because they want the attention, but this very well could be true. If I'm not mistaken, they were already attempting to fix this bridge's deficiencies, obviously done too late. Maybe this is a situation that really needs to be looked into further, so maybe all of the excess media coverage will do some good this time. Rant over.

[Bottomfeeder 244]

We should be spending our money here on our lives and standard of living, not in a foreign country.

[AuburnChopper1 0]

This thread should be moved to the political page. Just more crap that bottomfeeder and AURaptor can go round and round with.

(No offense Raptor....but it's clear this is a ticking time bomb for asshooligans like feeder to start a 9 page useless, endless, pointless political diatribe....)

[AUloggerhead 2,841]

Looking for a positive spin on the whole "crumbling infrastructure" thang: it's good news for us civil engineers as it means job security for many years!