The Conservative Cave
Current Events => The DUmpster => Topic started by: Ralph Wiggum on May 24, 2013, 12:39:50 PM
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liberal N proud (43,762 posts)
Where America's Unsafe Bridges Are (http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022896207)
The Federal Highway Administration oversees the inspection of all of the country's 575,413 bridges, and it classifies almost 20 percent of them as "structurally deficient." A structurally deficient bridge is not necessarily in danger of imminent collapse; for example, the category includes many bridges that are still safe but have vehicle-weight restrictions.
More than 80 percent of all U.S. bridges are located east of the geographic midpoint between the coasts. The skewed distribution is due in part to the way the Midwest and Great Plains states were settled--in the so-called "township-and-range" pattern, which resulted in the laying down of land parcels and roadways in evenly spaced grids; in order to maintain this even spacing, many bridges had to be built over small waterways. Iowa, for example contains more bridges than Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming combined.
The percentage of structurally deficient bridges should increase in the next ten years, in large part because tens of thousands of bridges built on the interstate highways during the boom years following the Second World War will soon be in need of major repairs. The Secretary of Transportation estimates that federal, state, and local governments will need to increase their yearly funding by almost 40 percent to meet the surging need for bridge rehabilitation.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1994/03/troubled-bridges/306142/
(http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/coma/images/issues/200708u/bridgemap.jpg)
I found this an interesting subject, but it wasn't until I clicked to the link at The Atlantic that I realized the study was done in 1994!!!
Yet the DUmmies are running with this and claiming that Republicans/Teabaggers/Freepers/whatever don't support infrastructure. Which is absolutely untrue.
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If I remember correctly, the cause of this was an oversized truck hitting the bridge. Now, I am not a structural engineer but I do know a few things about resonant frequencies. I know that if the steel in that bridge hit the right frequency and turned itself into a self sustaining tuning fork, it was only a matter of moments before it shook itself apart (which appears is what happened).
It seems that the bridge was sound but did not have dampening controls to sustain that kind of vibration.
Oh, and DUmmies are emotional cripples that can't be bothered with thinking things through before they rend their clothes and slam their faces in the dirt.
:-)
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I thought the Obama stimulus was supposed to fix bridges and roads. Where'd the money go?
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liberal N proud (43,762 posts)
Where America's Unsafe Bridges Are
According to that map, the entire state of New York should be uninhabitable.
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According to that map, the entire state of New York should be uninhabitable.
To normal, rational people, it is uninhabitable.
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DENVER, Feb. 17 2009
President Obama traveled to Colorado to sign the $787 billion stimulus package, a measure he called the most sweeping financial legislation enacted in the nation's history.
He promised 400,000 Americans would be put to work rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges.
Where did that money really go Obama?
Just the money wasted on Solyndra would have paid to at least put up a sign, in his own native language, to warn the Canadian truck driver of a low clearance.
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DENVER, Feb. 17 2009
President Obama traveled to Colorado to sign the $787 billion stimulus package, a measure he called the most sweeping financial legislation enacted in the nation's history.
He promised 400,000 Americans would be put to work rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges.
Where did that money really go Obama?
Just the money wasted on Solyndra would have paid to at least put up a sign, in his own native language, to warn the Canadian truck driver of a low clearance.
Within 25 miles North, South, East or West of me we have a huge problem with bridges.
We HAD 3 bridges north in about 3 miles apart, Freight of all kinds comes up the river, 2 of the bridges were old draw bridges that had to be lifted when the tide was high to allow even the civilian sail boats get out into the harbor. Just one bridge is a high level and that is showing signs of need of repairs at 40 years old.
We lost one of the oldest due to replacement, this one was the oldest and connected the Ship Yard and Maine to Portsmouth in N.H. The second bridge up was shut down when a tanker somehow got loose from the tugs and caused severe problems.
Funny how the bridge maintainers goes, as these bridges span the state line, both States have to kick in money to keep them ship shape. For a few years the State of Maine had run out of money so the work on the bridges on the NH side repaired just their side up to the middle of the bridge to the Maine state line. Result was the NH side was in good repair but when you crossed the line in the middle of the river, you took your life in your own hands.
Now I wonder how long the remaining bridge, the high level can tolerate all the extra traffic it was never built to handle.
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WHERE DID THE MONEY GO, OBAMA?
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WHERE DID THE MONEY GO, OBAMA?
Interesting question, the workers that hang 80 feet on a rope in the air have not gotten a raise in 4-5 years. They hang on in there as state workers they get good benefits and can retire early, but it all depends on how long they can work and not die early on the job.
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Smart cars do not need heavy duty bridges.
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WHERE DID THE MONEY GO, OBAMA?
Obama wanted the money and gave it to his cronies.
Obama killed those people.
Right, DU?
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If I remember correctly, the cause of this was an oversized truck hitting the bridge. Now, I am not a structural engineer but I do know a few things about resonant frequencies. I know that if the steel in that bridge hit the right frequency and turned itself into a self sustaining tuning fork, it was only a matter of moments before it shook itself apart (which appears is what happened).
It seems that the bridge was sound but did not have dampening controls to sustain that kind of vibration.
Oh, and DUmmies are emotional cripples that can't be bothered with thinking things through before they rend their clothes and slam their faces in the dirt.
:-)
I knew an oversized load took it out, but I figured it just hit a crossbeam and that pulled the trusses on the side out of true. No amount of money for improvements will prevent an idiot equipped with a very large machine and no judgment from wrecking any piece of infrastructure.
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I thought the Obama stimulus was supposed to fix bridges and roads. Where'd the money go?
I can tell you one place some of that money went.
Around here we have what is called the Frisco Highline Trail. It's an old railroad bed that had the track and ties removed, and converted to pedestrian/horse/bicycle use. They paved several miles of it, and subsequently marked it clearly with their stupid Reinvestment Act signs.
It's been crumbling apart ever since. I DRIVE several miles to where the unpaved run begins when I use it.
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wonder what would have happened if bush said ............. "shovel ready wasn't as shovel ready as we thought......." maybe bush would have been accused of benefiting big oil or the big government contractors.