So my uncle informs me

[East Coast Hustle]

If I hadn't been offered a few hours of overtime to come in and work the dinner rush tonight because of a fuckton of huge parties, I'd have been up at Deception Pass today. And possibly driving back home around then.

[Suu]

So there's this city here in RI, called Pawtucket. It was built by the WPA. Remember the WPA? Of course you don't, that liberal bastard FDR started that. Putting Americans to work after a depression? Are you kidding me?! That's why we got into World War II, isn't it?

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

There were only a few people on the bridge, thank goodness.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Yeah, nobody died or was even seriously hurt. Fucking lucky as hell.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

So, the media is trying to pin this on an oversize load that crossed right before the collapse. They are using the word "hit" as in, the truck carrying the load "hit" the bridge. There is no specific description of the truck or part of the load striking the bridge in a collision, so I am deeply suspicious of this reporting. The truck was appropriately permitted though the Washington DOT.

I suspect that the weight of the oversize load may have triggered the collapse, but the bridge should have been able to hold up to it, so the fault still lies in the bridge, and not in the passage of the truck.

[Doktor Howl]

So, the media is trying to pin this on an oversize load that crossed right before the collapse. They are using the word "hit" as in, the truck carrying the load "hit" the bridge. There is no specific description of the truck or part of the load striking the bridge in a collision, so I am deeply suspicious of this reporting. The truck was appropriately permitted though the Washington DOT.

I suspect that the weight of the oversize load may have triggered the collapse, but the bridge should have been able to hold up to it, so the fault still lies in the bridge, and not in the passage of the truck.

The bridge had been rated as "fracture critical", meaning that one component failure would cause the collapse of the bridge, which in any sane world is COMPLETELY FUCKING UNACCEPTABLE.  I won't even allow our SCAFFOLDING contractors to do that shit.

[trippinprincezz13]

Well if people would just stop DRIVING all over these bridges, maybe they wouldn't collapse. It's not rocket science.

IIRC, a good chunk of bridges throughout the US are in the "needs a bit more duct tape -> collapse imminent" condition, yes? Which sort of rationalizes my irrational fear of driving over bridges. Which isn't terribly comforting.

[Trivial]

The spy museum in DC had a list of infrastructure grades.  I think Pennsylvania was the one that scored lowest for bridge and road structures. 

Electrical grid is a tad worrisome for everyone.

[Trivial]

http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/   Ooh a website.  Pennsylvania not as bad as I thought.

[Left]

But tax breaks for the rich make us all richer.
It's because of the wealth trickling down, like a golden stream from above...

Clearly, we can fix it all with the golden trickles from above.

THANKS, OBAMA!

My family has been trickled-on by Reagan, Clinton, both Bushes, now Obama.
It's a real bipartisan effort, all this trickling.
Reagan let the steel industry collapse. Our family lost the house we'd just mortgaged.  Ironic as hell considering my parents had just voted for the guy.

So there's this city here in RI, called Pawtucket. It was built by the WPA. Remember the WPA? Of course you don't, that liberal bastard FDR started that. Putting Americans to work after a depression? Are you kidding me?!

Those bastard liberals! how DARE they!

If I hadn't been offered a few hours of overtime to come in and work the dinner rush tonight because of a fuckton of huge parties, I'd have been up at Deception Pass today. And possibly driving back home around then.

I'm glad you're ok. I'm glad nobody was killed.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

So, the media is trying to pin this on an oversize load that crossed right before the collapse. They are using the word "hit" as in, the truck carrying the load "hit" the bridge. There is no specific description of the truck or part of the load striking the bridge in a collision, so I am deeply suspicious of this reporting. The truck was appropriately permitted though the Washington DOT.

I suspect that the weight of the oversize load may have triggered the collapse, but the bridge should have been able to hold up to it, so the fault still lies in the bridge, and not in the passage of the truck.

The bridge had been rated as "fracture critical", meaning that one component failure would cause the collapse of the bridge, which in any sane world is COMPLETELY FUCKING UNACCEPTABLE.  I won't even allow our SCAFFOLDING contractors to do that shit.

Oh, yeah. The Critical Bridge Report nailed over 1200 bridges in Oregon and close to that many in Washington, and that was about ten years ago.

So far, Oregon has repaired about 200 bridges. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I don't know if I've mentioned this, but there are also over a thousand DAMS on the critical list. Many of them with towns downstream.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

There will be some critical dam failures in the next few years.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Just for, y'know, perspective: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2012/09/20/38679/the-10-states-most-threatened-by-high-hazard-deficient-dams/

This is not an issue that people tend to talk about, but I've sat in on some of the meetings and the prognosis is grim. No money to rebuild, no money to relocate people. Shit gonna get interesting.

Thanks, Past America, for thinking that Future America would just somehow magically be able to deal with the problems you created for us.

[Left]

There will be some critical dam failures in the next few years.

I don't know if I've mentioned this, but there are also over a thousand DAMS on the critical list. Many of them with towns downstream.

I'm avoiding the obvious pun here...be thankful. 

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/bridge-collapse-fall-deaf-ears-congress/story?id=19252065#.UaA0tdLvu0l

Obama renewed in February his nearly annual call for $50 billion in additional transportation and infrastructure spending as part of his 2014 budget request. But Republicans said the proposal amounted to an unfunded wish list.

To be sure, Congress did pass a highway transportation funding bill last year, but advocates say it's simply not enough. The bill allocated just enough money to keep transportation spending at status quo levels and it only funded projects for two years, as opposed to the usual five or six.

To maintain roads and bridges alone, the Federal Highway Administration estimates that every year $190 billion would need to be infused into the system, compared to the $103 billion now being spent.

And that isn't saying anything about dams.

Although dam safety legislation has ramped up since a string of catastrophic dam failures in the 1970s, the number of high risk dams needing repairs has actually increased over the last decade as dams age and government budgets dwindle...
Out of 14,000 high hazard dams–a few of which are federally owned–half lack an emergency action plan in case of a catastrophic failure.

http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/09/09/safety-be-dammed/