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August 6, 2007

State engineers to review bridge records today

PROVIDENCE -- State engineers expect to review records today on 53 Rhode Island bridges that lack “redundancies” that maintain the integrity of a bridge in the event that one part fails. The engineers will determine if any of those bridges should be reinspected.

“There is no mandate to do this,” said Kazem Farhoumand, deputy chief engineer for the state Department of Transportation. “Just in an abundance of caution we will determine if these bridges should be inspected again, or inspected more frequently.”

The extra focus on bridge safety comes after the fatal failure of a steel truss highway bridge last week in Minneapolis. The U.S. Transportation Department has urged states to inspect any bridges that use similar steel truss construction.

Rhode Island has no bridges of that type, said Farhoumand.

However, Rhode Island ranks worst among all states in the percentage of its bridges listed as “structurally deficient” or “functionally obsolete,” although state officials say local bridges are not dangerous to drivers.

Read a July story reporting how a federal audit slams Rhode Island for ceding almost total control of its bridge-design and repair program to consultants.

Posted by Kate Bramson  at 8:08 AM | Permalink

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