NEWPORT, Del. (AP) — A fix costing nearly half a million dollars will finally begin this summer on a $5 million bridge that was built six inches too low.
Five years after Delaware transportation officials discovered the mistake, they’ve hired a new construction firm to raise the bridge high enough so that trains carrying two stacked containers can pass underneath. Those trains need at least 21 feet, 6 inches of clearance.
The Delaware Department of Transportation spent more than $5 million in 2011 to accommodate these trains by rebuilding the overpass, reported The News Journal (http://delonline.us/1OJzwdj ). They think they know what caused the error: surveyors mistakenly measured the clearance from the ground up, rather than from the top of the track’s steel rails, said Barry Benton, DelDOT’s state bridge engineer.
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It's not the 6" that's important... it's how you use it...
ReplyDeleteCouple years ago I was framing a house in Dewey and the surveyors screwed up when the lot was being graded. House was 14" over the 35' height limit. Luckily we caught it before we started cutting the rafters. Would have been fun fighting them over that.
ReplyDeleteYou have to love the LLC concept. No one is held accountable.I remember passing over westbound Bay bridge when the nice new concrete had to be pulled up. So many checks required on each batch that was poured. Somehow something must have slipped by. I also remember the City of Salisbury waste water plant.
ReplyDeleteSo many people told them it will not work. Still is worst looking discharge of any going into our river that I have seen. I have seen many. Wake up people.
I've always been 6" short , guess I can blame the surveyor.
ReplyDeleteWould it not be cheaper to lower the track?
ReplyDeleteWho approves these contracts? They must not be engineers or they are pretty stupid. The lawyers reviewing these contract must not have a cheat sheet on must haves. Tax Payer should not be liable and the Company and their owners still able to stay in business or have any other state contracts. OH I forgot this is a STATE project and all they want is a quick accomplishment with a look at me. Forget about workmanship and proper site inspections from the State observer.
ReplyDeleteIsn't there some kind of bonding process on projects like this that would make it possible to recover damages from the surveyors?
ReplyDeleteAll contractors on State jobs are supposed to be bonded. Like 8:07 stated who is approving these contracts? Did a lawyer review these contracts?
ReplyDeletewho builds a $5million bridge with only a six inch margin of error? Besides, the surveyor's base elevation would have been the tracks, not the ground.
ReplyDelete