The Infrastructure Thread (formerly BI: America's infrastructure is decaying)

[China]

Pittsburgh bridge collapses near Frick Park

 

The collapse happened in the area of Forbes Avenue and South Braddock Avenue near the city’s Point Breeze neighborhood.

 

The bridge that collapsed is known as the Fern Hollow Bridge. Video below from crews on the scene shows the collapse.

 

Photos shared with Pittsburgh's Action News 4 on Twitter show a Port Authority Bus was involved.

 

Port Authority officials said a driver and two passengers were on the bus. Pittsburgh Public Safety officials said the passengers were taken to the hospital for treatment.

 

According to officials, there were a total of ten minor injuries. Three people were taken to area hospitals.

 

There were no life threatening injuries, officials said.

 

A photo from Pittsburgh Public Safety showed the collapse.

 

Click on the link for the full article and video

[RichmondRedskin88]

Since there’s no life threatening injuries I would say if you are one of those people you should this as a dating question on a app

 

I believe it or not-

 

A bridge collapsed while I was driving over it. 

 

 

[The Evil Genius]

 

[88Comrade2000]

Lawsuits. The bridge was inspected last year and received a poor rating.

[The Evil Genius]

23 minutes ago, Rdskns2000 said:

Lawsuits. The bridge was inspected last year and received a poor rating.

 

I previously worked in transportation planning for 17 years at the local and State level. I suspect if other states are like California (in their overall bridge infrastructure), this will occur much more often in the near future. 

 

Bridges were in a very bad state of disrepair 5+ years ago. 

[Hersh]

It's remarkable how we have zero problems spending $800 billion every year for the military but we let our infrastructure go to ****. I was complaining recently how ****ing bad our train system is when I was gonna book a trip from Raleigh to DC. A ****ing 6+ hour train, while driving is 4 hours and flying is 45 minutes. Our priorities are all ****ed up. 

[Larry]

8 minutes ago, Hersh said:

It's remarkable how we have zero problems spending $800 billion every year for the military but we let our infrastructure go to ****. I was complaining recently how ****ing bad our train system is when I was gonna book a trip from Raleigh to DC. A ****ing 6+ hour train, while driving is 4 hours and flying is 45 minutes. Our priorities are all ****ed up. 

 

 

[TradeTheBeal!]

Wot?

 

 

[China]

The speed camera nightmare that's coming to America: How the UK's hated war on motorists - costing drivers $56M in fines every year - provides a chilling glimpse of what's in store under Pete Buttigieg's plan

 

US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's plan to 'promote speed safety cameras' is raising the troubling specter of ubiquitous automated traffic enforcement in the style of the UK, where the cameras are widely despised.

 

Buttigieg's 42-page road safety plan that was unveiled on Thursday and is backed by $14 billion in funding from the new infrastructure bill contained only brief mention of the speed camera plan, but it was enough to set alarm bells ringing for worried motorists.

 

Fox News host Tucker Carlson slammed the plan as a misuse of the funds in the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Bill, fuming that 'you're about to get a lot more speeding tickets from robots.'

'When the country applauded $1.2 trillion going to fixing the roads, bridges and buildings, a lot of us were dumb enough to think that's what might actually happen,' he said.

 

Nonpartisan motorist advocate groups are also against the plan. The National Motorists Association has a top 10 list of why speed cameras are bad, arguing 'they can actually make our roads less safe.'

 

Speed cameras have also drawn sharp criticism from some on the left, who are angry that the fines are often directed to fund police departments, making the issue rare grounds for bipartisan agreement.

 

Currently, eight US states have laws specifically prohibiting speed cameras. 

 

Only 18 states plus D.C. have speed cameras in use by law, with the other states having no law on the books authorizing their use.  

 

Click on the link for the full article

[CousinsCowgirl84]

Or you could… hmm… just not speed?

[Larry]

16 minutes ago, CousinsCowgirl84 said:

Or you could… hmm… just not speed?

And teenagers could just not have sex. And people could just not smoke. And people could just not use illegal drugs. 
 

But if your proposal is for Americans to suddenly start religiously obeying speed limits at all times, I want to watch you hold your breath. 

[CousinsCowgirl84]

6 minutes ago, Larry said:

And teenagers could just not have sex. And people could just not smoke. And people could just not use illegal drugs. 
 

But if your proposal is for Americans to suddenly start religiously obeying speed limits at all times, I want to watch you hold your breath. 

No. I mean instead of speeding they can totally generate revenue for the local police department if they wish 👍 

[China]

Biden promotes his plan to repair bridges after dramatic collapse in Pennsylvania

 

President Joe Biden on Friday touted the bipartisan infrastructure package that he signed into law in November, while also addressing the dramatic bridge collapse in Pittsburgh that occurred just hours before he arrived in the city.

 

Fern Hollow Bridge near Frick Park, the site of the collapse, had been rated in "poor condition" for the last 10 years, Biden said. Across the country, 45,000 bridges are in poor condition, a number Biden called "unacceptable."

 

"We saw today when a bridge is in disrepair, it literally can threaten lives," Biden said.

 

As soon as the bridge collapsed, Biden said he reached out to Pittsburgh's mayor, Ed Gainey, telling him that he was doing "a hell of a job."

 

Biden promoted the bipartisan infrastructure law, which he said will allocate $1.6 billion to Pennsylvania for repairing and restoring bridges. The law, Biden said, is also the largest investment in bridges since former President Dwight D. Eisenhower started the interstate highway system.

 

"This is the first time in the country's history that we dedicated a national program to repair and upgrade bridges," Biden said. "It's about time."

 

Biden said the funding from the infrastructure bill will make a difference for Pennsylvania.

 

"We're going to rebuild that bridge, along with thousands of other bridges in Pennsylvania and across the country because it's in our interests for our own safety's sake and it generates commerce in a way that we can't do now," Biden said. "That's part of how we're going to build a better America."

 

Biden also visited the site of the bridge's collapse prior to speaking at Carnegie Mellon University.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

 

[China]

Pennsylvania's DOT Is Hiding Bridge Inspection Data From The Public

 

In late January, the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ten people were injured after the bridge fell into the ravine in Frick Park during an early weekday morning. In the wake of the collapse, it became clear that many tried to raise the alarm over the bridge’s state, but nothing was done. Residents posted concerning images of structural damage on social media, and bridge inspectors recommended repairs. Now, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is making the inspector’s notes on all reports not accessible to the general public.

 

 

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that PennDOT has removed the inspection notes for over 20,000 bridges across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Bridges in the state are given two different ratings in PennDOT’s inspection reports. The bridges as a whole are rated Poor, Fair or Good. There’s also a deck rating on a scale of zero to nine, where nine is excellent, and zero is a bridge failure. The notes that supplement the rates are the real meat-and-potatoes of the reports as they detail the bridge’s damage and recommend a course of action.

 

The western Pennsylvanian newspaper has posted a recent version of the entire inspection database, in which over 3,000 bridges are rated Poor.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

There’s a growing number of hazardous dams in poor condition across the U.S.

 

Constructed four generations ago, the massive rock and clay dam at El Capitan Reservoir is capable of storing over 36 billion gallons of water, enough to supply every resident in San Diego for most of a year.

 

Today, it’s three-quarters empty, intentionally kept low because of concerns it could fail under the strain of too much water.

 

During “a big earthquake, you never know what’s going to happen, if this is going to hold,” said Samuel Santos, a longtime resident who frequently fishes near the dam.

 

Seismic instability and a spillway in need of “significant repair” led El Capitan to be added to a growing list of dams rated in poor condition or worse that would likely cause deaths downstream if they failed.

 

An Associated Press analysis tallied more than 2,200 high-hazard dams in poor or unsatisfactory condition across the U.S. — up substantially from a similar AP review conducted three years ago. The actual number is likely even higher, although it’s unclear because some states don’t track such data and many federal agencies refuse to release details about their dams’ conditions.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Renegade7]

On 1/30/2022 at 3:35 PM, Larry said:

And teenagers could just not have sex. And people could just not smoke. And people could just not use illegal drugs. 
 

But if your proposal is for Americans to suddenly start religiously obeying speed limits at all times, I want to watch you hold your breath. 

 

You could add mass shootings to your list as well, because I feel like I've heard all your excuses in different places before 😒

[China]

Michigan officials fast-track bridge fix after man says it 'collapsed under my feet'

 

State officials have fast-tracked the inspection of a Detroit pedestrian bridge after a man claims the concrete gave way under his feet last week while he was crossing over the Lodge Freeway on his way to a Detroit Tigers game.

 

 

Ely Hydes, who lives about a block from the Spruce Street pedestrian bridge in Corktown, said he plunged nearly 15 feet May 9 after the collapse, landing near oncoming freeway traffic.

 

Despite the large hole in the concrete, the bridge remained open to pedestrians until Sunday, when The Detroit News emailed the Michigan Department of Transportation about the incident.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Recycled tires make for roads that last twice as long in hot sunshine

 

Roads always seem to be in need of repair, but changing up the recipe could help them last longer. Researchers in Australia have now shown yet another advantage of adding rubber from old tires to asphalt – extra Sun protection that could help roads last up to twice as long before cracking.

 

Anyone who’s ever touched a road on a hot day knows that those things hold heat. And despite being out in the elements all day, every day, nothing is added to protect them against Sun damage, leading to the cracks and potholes every driver is familiar with.

 

In a new study, researchers at Australia’s RMIT University have found an environmentally friendly way to shore up roads against the onslaught of the Sun’s rays. The key is to add crumb rubber, a form of ground-up material made from waste rubber products like old tires. It’s already shown promise in making concrete stronger and more heat resistant, and the researchers wondered whether it could protect asphalt from UV light degradation.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Texas Supreme Court: $30 billion bullet train project has authority to seize land

DALLAS — A divided Texas Supreme Court has given the proposed high-speed bullet train between Dallas and Houston renewed life, at least on paper.

 

In a 5-3 decision, the court ruled Texas Central — the Dallas company planning to build the railway — has eminent domain authority. The ruling comes a little more than a week after opponents of the controversial project thought it was dead after Texas Central's CEO resigned, leaving the company without any top management.

 

The $30 billion train has been in the works for years. If built, it would travel at a speed of up to 200 miles per hour and enable passengers to commute between Dallas and Houston in about 90 minutes, according to Texas Central. The company argues the project will benefit Texas by taking cars off roads, creating thousands of jobs and generating billions of dollars in economic impact.

 

Many Texas land owners whose properties sit in the proposed path of the train oppose the project. James Miles of Leon County sued Texas Central in 2019 challenging whether the company has the authority to use eminent domain to take property for the project.

 

In siding with Texas Central, the court's majority said their decision focuses narrowly on the issue of eminent domain, not about the merits of the train.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

 

[China]

President Biden approves Mississippi’s emergency declaration regarding Jackson’s water crisis

 

President Joe Biden approved Mississippi’s emergency declaration on Tuesday.

 

The president ordered Federal assistance to supplement the state’s response efforts due to the city of Jackson’s water crisis.

 

“The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security [and the] Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in Hinds County,” a press release said.

 

According to President Biden, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide, at its discretion, equipment, and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.

 

The press release says that emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75% Federal funding for 90 days.

[China]

This city has around 20 days of fresh water left. Officials are racing to find another source

 

A city in New Mexico has about 20 days of fresh water left, and officials there are scrambling to find another source to prevent cancer-causing particles from flowing out of faucets.

 

The hillsides around Las Vegas, New Mexico, were scorched by the state's largest wildfire on record this spring, which burned more than 340,000 acres. Then, an unusually wet monsoon season brought significant summer rainfall -- something that would typically be celebrated in the drought-stricken West, but instead has led to disaster-upon-disaster as rainfall washed the charred debris into the region's water system.

 

Now, one of the city's two reservoirs is filled with contaminated water that the current filtration system cannot handle. It's also a health risk -- when carbon reacts with high levels of chlorine used to treat water, it can become carcinogenic.

"We need to get the carbon out of the water before we add disinfection," Las Vegas Utilities Director Maria Gilvarry told residents at a recent forum.

With time running out to secure a new clean source, city officials plan to spend this weekend testing and pre-treating the water from a nearby lake, hoping it can provide enough to keep the taps running clear.

"Our fingers are crossed on that," Las Vegas Mayor Louie Trujillo told CNN, adding the tests "will determine the quality of water we're going to be sending to one of our reservoirs."

It could take multiple days to complete the tests and pretreatment to get it right; Gilvarry told CNN the key is finding the right level of chemicals that will make the water drinkable, but not too much to create carcinogenic byproducts in the supply.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves was too busy attacking LGBTQ people to fix Jackson’s water problem

 

Republicans have all but given up on the job of governing. If governors spent as much time ensuring their states’ infrastructures were in good shape as they do demonizing LGBTQ people, the South would be the envy of the nation. Instead, we get disasters, like the one unfolding in Mississippi.

 

There, the state’s capital is without water for the foreseeable future because of decades of failure to address the crumbling water system. Heavy rains flooded the city’s sewage treatment plant, overwhelming it. As a result, the city’s 150,000 residents don’t have water to drink, bathe or flush their toilets.

 

It’s not as if there wasn’t plenty of warning. Last year, the system failed for a month following a winter storm. Residents have complained for years about brackish water and low water pressure. Meanwhile, due to white flight, the city has seen its tax base shrink by 20% since the 1980s, leaving it without the money it needs to fix the system.

 

The state knows about the problem. After all, it’s literally in the capital’s backyard. But the Republicans who run the state have bigger issues to deal with. Like attacking LGBTQ people.

 

Mississippi was the first state to ban trans youth from participating in school sports. At a signing ceremony celebrating the bigotry, Gov. Tate Reeves (R) accused President Joe Biden (D) of “encouraging transgenderism amongst our young people.” Reeves also went on a tear when Biden signed an executive order protecting LGBTQ people, calling it a “radical social experiment.”

 

Fighting the culture war doesn’t leave Reeves much time for anything else apparently. But when opportunities came up to help the people of Jackson–the majority of whom are black–he refused. In 2020, he vetoed bipartisan legislation to help residents with overdue water bills, which would have provided much-needed money to the city. Reeves complained the bill would send a message “that individuals are not responsible for paying their water bill.” 

 

At the same time, Reeves had no problem ensuring the state was not investing in its citizens. This year he happily signed into law the state’s largest income tax cut ever. The tax cut means even less money for services–like replacing failing infrastructure–and will most benefit the state’s richest citizens.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

‘Privatization Is On The Table’: Gov. Reeves Gives Jackson Water Crisis Update

 

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced “significant” improvements in the Jackson water system on Labor Day while telling reporters he is open to numerous long-term solutions, including leasing its management to a private company.

 

“One week ago today I stood on this podium and I told you the state was going to take historic and unprecedented steps to intervene in Jackson’s water system because it had reached a crisis level,” the governor said at a Monday morning press conference in the capital city. “Not only were there issues with the quality of the water, but with the quantity of the water. The city could not produce enough running water for Jacksonians.”

 

The Republican governor said health officials told him this morning that the beleaguered O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant is now “pumping out cleaner water than we’ve seen for a very, very long time.” He said he is hopeful that “we will be able to measure potential for clean water and the removal of the boil water notice” within “days, not weeks or months.”

 

“We know that it is always possible that there will be more severe challenges. This water system broke over several years and it would be inaccurate to claim it is totally solved in the matter of less than a week,” he said. “… There may be more bad days in the future. We have however reached a place where people in Jackson can trust that water will come out of the faucet, toilets can be flushed and fires can be put out.”

 

Despite his optimism, the governor cautioned that while “the risk with respect to quantity of water has not been eliminated, it has been significantly reduced.” Jackson currently remains under the boil water notice that began on July 29, 2022.

 

“As we turn to long-term problems in the future, I want to clarify a few things: There are indeed problems in Jackson that are decades old, on the order of $1 billion to fix,” Reeves said. “The crisis we intervened to solve is not one of those problems.”

 

When it comes to addressing the water system’s troubles beyond the immediate crisis, he said he is “open” to all ideas.

 

“Privatization is on the table,” the governor said. “Having a commission that oversees failed water systems as they have in many states is on the table. I’m open to ideas.”

 

Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba has repeatedly said he opposes totally privatizing the water system by selling it to private company. But on Aug. 8, he said that he would consider a “maintenance agreement” with a private company for operations and management of the system to alleviate staffing shortages.

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

 

Side note:  what is it with Republican governors and vests?  Youngkin, now this guy?

 

And that facial expression is one of those "Duh, I have no idea what I'm doing." expressions, which is probably why "all ideas are on the table."