Champlain Bridge, linking NY and VT "so fragile that a sudden collapse could occur."

[garybeck]

I drove across this bridge just a couple weeks ago.

Today the Governors of NY and VT received recommendations that the bridge is beyond repair and should be demolished.

This is the only bridge across the huge Lake Champlain and is a major artery for trucks, commuters, and travelers. The effects of this are going to be devastating, and even worse in the winter when the ferries shut down, and the only way to the other side of the lake will be to go AROUND it.





Burlington FreePress
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20091109/NEWS02/91109011
ADDISON -- The Lake Champlain Bridge is beyond repair, transportation officials from Vermont and New York said today.


New York Gov. David A. Paterson and Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas have received a report from their states’ respective transportation agencies, and the verdict is that it is not feasible to rehabilitate the 80-year-old bridge.


Engineers have declared that the span is too unstable to be renovated, and recommend demolishing the bridge for the safety of motorists and boaters. The states will accept these recommendations based on the overwhelming safety issues enumerated in the report and will begin planning the construction of a new bridge in its place.


An underwater inspection of the bridge’s concrete piers and underlying foundations found cracks and significant deterioration in the non-reinforced concrete substructures well below the water level that render these supports so fragile that a sudden collapse could occur.


“Reports indicate that the bridge is highly unstable and our harsh winter will only aggravate its condition. For everyone’s safety, the bridge must be dismantled in a controlled fashion quickly so that a replacement bridge can be erected in its place,” Douglas said in a news release. “In the meantime, both states are working to install temporary ferry service as close to the bridge as possible so that motorists can once again begin crossing Lake Champlain between Addison and Crown Point.”


The governors also announced that ferry service will be established near the existing bridge. That effort has been fast-tracked, and the new service will be in place as quickly as possible.

[Lasher]

1. We've been neglecting our infrastructure for years.

It's not surprising there would be consequences.

[tblue]

2. Why are we rebuilding Afghanistan when we need infrastructure? And jobs.

Wonder if any stimulus funds are targeted for this.

[elleng]

4. Lots of stimulus funds being used on roads etc. here,

MD suburbs of DC.

[aquart]

6. Nah. They need to rebuild the countries we're still blowing up.

But if you can figure out a way to rebuild the Champlain bridge and still give all the money to Halliburton, honey, you can have your bridge!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

17. That was for future target practice.

[elleng]

3. Great TIMING!

They do know its WINTER in a minute or 2, don't they?

[Kaleva]

5. The Highway Trust Fund is underfunded by about 80 billion a year

The federal tax on gas needs to be increased from 18 cents to about 75 cents a gallon.

[Selatius]

8. Ideally, it's paid for through progressive taxation, not an excise tax.

One way could be to increase the tax on capital gains by one percent. The revenue generated should be enough to plug up the short-fall, but God help you when you go and fight the barons on Wall Street and their army of parasitic lobbyists in D.C. when you demand just a few pennies more in taxes from them. They throw legendary tantrums whenever their greed is challenged.

[Thothmes]

7. The Champlain bridge opened for traffic in 1929.

Would say that 80 years service is about the maximum anyone should reasonably expect out of any bridge structure. This bridge was the maintenance responsibility of the State of Vermont and the State of New York, not the Federal Government.

[garybeck]

12. there is no reinforcement in the concrete pillars

that's crazy. it's amazing it lasted 80 years.

[MichellesBFF]

9. It WAS a great way to get to Vermont

My husband and I crossed it just a few weeks ago. At that point it was down to one lane of traffic only. We drive to Burlington about once a month. (Closest Costco to us)

They're planning on 24 hour ferry service with an ice cutter for winter. We'll see how that goes.

[SpiralHawk]

10. There is a ferry across the lake, but....

it's a teeny tiny thing...have floated over on it many a time -- while of course enjoying the companionship of Champ.

Champ?


Ferry?

[garybeck]

11. the ferry is fun but...

it's expensive, slow, and only one (the Plattsburg) runs in the winter.

and there's no way the ferries could handle the amount of traffic that normally goes over that bridge.

[Tesha]

14. If they can get more ice-capable ferries down there, that narrows is a fine place...

to run a ferry through the winter. If you run the ferries 'round
the clock, the channel never gets a chance to freeze solid.

I wonder how many of the Lake Champlain Transportation
Company's ferry's are ice-rated?

Tesha

[garybeck]

18. as far as I know, the only icebreaker is the one they use in Plattsburg.

even then I just don't see how the ferries could keep up with the amount of traffic, not to mention the big tractor trailers, that are constantly going over that bridge. It's going to slow things down significantly.

I propose a big hike in gas taxes to pay for some of the aging roads and bridges

[Tesha]

19. The Plattsburgh, the Evans-Wadham-Wolcott, the Grand Isle, and the Vermont...

are all ice-rated, I think. There may be one or two more
down on the Essex-Charlotte line but I'm not sure.

I love to ride those ferries when the channel is icy; it sounds
like you're in the world's largest Margarhita mixer ;-) !

Tesha

[garybeck]

23. another issue is.... they need to run 24 hours a day

trucks don't shut down at night.... many people including myself have been crossing that bridge late at night for years. I guess we'll have to see what they do with the ferries.

[Tesha]

26. On the Plattsburgh-Grand Island run, they do that anyway, just to keep the channel ice broken up.

Years ago, before they used to do that, I was on the first run
of the morning and the channel had iced-over. They couldn't
barge on through so the pilot stopped, backed up about a
half a mile, and took a really fast run at the ice.

He got through ;-).

But now they run at least a few runs throughout the night to
avoid just that sort of situation.

Tesha

[garybeck]

13. i just don't see how any ferry can handle the volume of traffic that normally

flows over that bridge.

I was on the bridge, a little bit after you.... i remember when it was one lane, and then it was opened up for two lanes again, very briefly, and then shut down forever. I was on there when they had the two lane traffic again. Thank God I wasn't driving the solar bus on that trip. Our 24,000 lbs could have been the straw that broke the camel's back!

[Historic NY]

15. Another sign of the decay in NY but we can fund the MTA with payroll tax...

for the downstaters. The rest of the state can go to hell in a hand basket. Another scheme for the MTA will be the mandatory $25.00 surcharge for new license plate...really we need new plates. This is going to be a loser since many people will have to pay this on top of the extra for personalzed plates. How many more of these dangerous bridges do New Yorker's have to cross daily? Were still waiting for NYDOT to fix a dangerous road and intersections, since 1995.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

16. Damned socialist state. If this were private, then it would never happen.

The idea that a private concern, unregulated, without rules or supervision would allow such a travesty to happen is simply incredible! Damn Liberals.

First of all, where would the money for the inspectors come from? Who would pay for those folks inspecting and testing the foundation, the steel, and the ability of the bridge to carry motorists?

[yellowcanine]

20. Shouldn't they ban heavy trucks as of NOW if a sudden collapse is possible?

Wouldn't banning heavy trucks make that just a bit less likely?

[cali]

21. The bridge has been completely closed to all traffic.

[yellowcanine]

22. Alrighty then. Make a nice fishing pier though.

[garybeck]

24. they said it's unsafe for any use whatsoever, it could collapse on its own

they are even concerned for boats that cross under the bridge, and the plan now is to demolish it as soon as possible to alleviate these concerns.

[yellowcanine]

25. Crap they really dodged a bullet on that one then. How many more are out there like that?

[cali]

27. Quite a few I'm sure, but Vermont's roads and bridges are in far worse

condition than in most states.