The Overland Bridge is Falling Down, My Fair Lady

[Captain Zissou]

I had a delightful 50 minute drive to work today due to a large chunk of the roadway falling from the overland bridge onto Kings Ave.  The piece was about 18 inches square.  I could see exposed rebar in the hole it left behind.  I don't know if there were any cars that fell into the hole, but it created a huge back up.

I remember hearing that a smaller piece fell onto Hendricks a couple years ago.  The bridge is deteriorating quickly. It needs to be fixed, but it's not going to be cheap or easy.  We need to stop requiring rail to pay for itself, but giving roadways a free pass in terms of cost.

[Adam W]

I had a delightful 50 minute drive to work today due to a large chunk of the roadway falling from the overland bridge onto Kings Ave.  The piece was about 18 inches square.  I could see exposed rebar in the hole it left behind.  I don't know if there were any cars that fell into the hole, but it created a huge back up.

I remember hearing that a smaller piece fell onto Hendricks a couple years ago.  The bridge is deteriorating quickly. It needs to be fixed, but it's not going to be cheap or easy.  We need to stop requiring rail to pay for itself, but giving roadways a free pass in terms of cost.

Which bridge is the overland bridge? Is that I-95?

[Captain Zissou]

I-95 between the Fuller Warren and north of Emerson.

[Adam W]

I-95 between the Fuller Warren and north of Emerson.

Thanks. I had never heard of that term, but it makes perfect sense.

[Ocklawaha]

The Overland Bridge is dangerous, carbonization is the main biological culprit and extremely heavy traffic has multiplied the effects. The bridge needs to come down soon, or it may come down all on it's own al la Minneapolis.

Here's the data:

xI-95 (SR-9)
Crosses HENDRICKS/KINGS/MONTANA
in Duval County
Structurally deficient
Built 1959
National bridge ID 720153
172,000 cars per day (avg.)
Ratings - 10 being the best
Deck: 4
Superstructure: 5
Substructure: 6
Inspections
Inspection frequency: 24 months
Last inspection: December-2009

By comparison, the 1927 auto-streetcar bridge over the Ortega on Grand Avenue scored a solid '6' in every category. The I-35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis included some really dumb moves, such as adding 4" of pavement to the bridge deck over the years increasing the load by 20%, add construction equipment and rush hour traffic and you have catastrophic failure.

This is the Minneapolis bridge BEFORE the collapse, note the bowed gusset plates.

[Adam W]

The Overland Bridge is dangerous, carbonization is the main biological culprit and extremely heavy traffic has multiplied the effects. The bridge needs to come down soon, or it may come down all on it's own al la Minneapolis.

Here's the data:

xI-95 (SR-9)
Crosses HENDRICKS/KINGS/MONTANA
in Duval County
Structurally deficient
Built 1959
National bridge ID 720153
172,000 cars per day (avg.)
Ratings - 10 being the best
Deck: 4
Superstructure: 5
Substructure: 6
Inspections
Inspection frequency: 24 months
Last inspection: December-2009

By comparison, the 1927 auto-streetcar bridge over the Ortega on Grand Avenue scored a solid '6' in every category. The I-35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis included some really dumb moves, such as adding 4" of pavement to the bridge deck over the years increasing the load by 20%, add construction equipment and rush hour traffic and you have catastrophic failure.

This is the Minneapolis bridge BEFORE the collapse, note the bowed gusset plates.

^Yikes!

[Charles Hunter]

Which is why DOT is going to replace it.  The last public meeting I went to, they said work should start right after the first of the year (2013).

[acme54321]

I was stopped in one lane of the bridge last week while traffic was moving by at speed in adjacent lanes.  I sear the bridge deck was bouncing up and down a half inch.  It was sort of unnerving knowing how bad of shae the thing is in!

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I was stopped in one lane of the bridge last week while traffic was moving by at speed in adjacent lanes.  I sear the bridge deck was bouncing up and down a half inch.  It was sort of unnerving knowing how bad of shae the thing is in!

I'm pretty sure that's common.  Go 'park' on the Dames Point span - you'll swear you're on a trampoline.

[reednavy]

I was stopped in one lane of the bridge last week while traffic was moving by at speed in adjacent lanes.  I sear the bridge deck was bouncing up and down a half inch.  It was sort of unnerving knowing how bad of shae the thing is in!

Yeah, that's pretty normal on just about any bridge.

[reednavy]

This hole in the bridge thing makes me immediately think of the old I-40 Crosstown in central OKC.

[Ocklawaha]

The crosstown I-40 is gone. Light Rail will be built in it's place. Funny because the I-40 right-of-way was once the railroad right-of-way and where the original train stations were in OKC. If they follow through (and I have no doubts they will) then that strip of land will have gone from railroad, to FREEway, to railroad. Pretty funny.

[Timkin]

Is this an original section of the current I-95 Expressway? . 

[acme54321]

Yes it's the original span from the 50s.  If I remember right I think it originally bridged a rail yard that served the southbank shipyards.

[Timkin]

   You would think a  FAILING, not to mention, structurally-deficient overland bridge would take priority over 9B which takes you through nowhere.  Who the hell is in charge of FDOT?

Just sayin.   Whats it going to take?  A Collapse resulting in multiple deaths for FDOT to get their head out their ass?