Jump to content

I-10 in California closed after bridge collapses


RV_

Recommended Posts

Wow!

Infrastructure is falling down! From Monday's USA Today! (Monday)

 

Excerpt:

 

"PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — A bridge collapse in Southern California late Sunday afternoon forced the indefinite closure of Interstate 10 — the main roadway between Southern California and Phoenix. The collapse also injured one person and stranded hundreds of motorists.

 

A truck was headed east on I-10 when the Tex Wash bridge crumpled around 4:45 p.m. PT. Bystanders used straps from their cars to tie the truck to a guardrail to prevent it from washing away in the running water.

 

A passenger in the truck was able to get out, but the driver had to be rescued. Firefighters went into rapidly rising water to pull the driver out by 7 p.m."

 

More here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/07/19/i-10-collapse-california/30399815/

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The local paper in Lake Havasu City reported this morning that I 10 is expected to be open one lane each direction on Friday 7/24/15. Both directions will be routed over the current westbound bridge which is still atanding.

2005 F-250 6.0 Liter Diesel

2007 Coachmen Wyoming 325 RLTS

2 Shih Tzu's - Squirt (Mom), BeBe (Baby)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That same bridge was supposedly inspected several months earlier and deemed safe. :wacko: Kinda gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling doesn't it?

2010 Newmar Dutch Aire 4304-Spartan Chassis-Cummins ISL 425hp-2013 Chevrolet Equinox AWD Towed-SKP# 120487-FMCA #402879-

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That same bridge was supposedly inspected several months earlier and deemed safe. :wacko: Kinda gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling doesn't it?

 

From what I read, the bridge failed because of recent torrential rains, not from lack of maintenance.

2005 Winnebago Voyage 38J

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes it was torrential rains that caused the problem.

2011 Berkshire 390-rb-40, upgraded tires and front axle airbags, 2012 Jeep Wrangler 2 door, Blue Ox baseplate and BlueOx aladdin tow bar, Blue Ox Patriot brake system, wiring run through right frame rail and homemade led taillight bar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That same bridge was supposedly inspected several months earlier and deemed safe.

 

The flash flood (common in the desert Southwest) caused the banks of the wash to crumble, undermining the bridge supports. This could have happened with a brand new bridge, too, and has nothing to do with how "safe" the bridge was.

LindaH
2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K
2011 Kia Soul

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hopefully in the future they will design new bridges or update old bridges to withstand those common flash floods. I imagine money will be the problem though.

 

I have designed bridge foundations for over 35 years now, and the awareness of designing bridges for scour (loss of support due to high flows) has been significantly raised since the collapse of the Schoharie Creek Bridge in New York killed 10 people back in 1987.

 

There are methods to predict scour and design bridge foundations to resist it, but the methods are imperfect. Predicting water volume and velocity due to flooding is approximate, as is the prediction of how fast and where the soils and rock supporting a bridge will erode away. Bridges designed and built in the past 20 years are more likely to have deeper foundations to account for future scour, and many older bridges are fine for predicted scour as well. But there is certainly an inventory of older bridges in this country that are more vulnerable to scour, and as you have guessed finding the money to go out and modify all of those bridges is a problem.

Mark & Teri

2021 Grand Designs Imagine 2500RL, 2019 Ford F-350

Mark & Teri's Travels

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I-10 is reopened one lane each direction 35mph speed limit. The damaged bridge is expected to open by September.

2011 Berkshire 390-rb-40, upgraded tires and front axle airbags, 2012 Jeep Wrangler 2 door, Blue Ox baseplate and BlueOx aladdin tow bar, Blue Ox Patriot brake system, wiring run through right frame rail and homemade led taillight bar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...