[sunrico90]

Any bridges that might be a safety concern in your area?

Florida is divided into seven geographic districts and one Turnpike district, as shown in figure 5. Each district is responsible for element-level inspections of Florida's 11,100 bridges (6,300 State highway bridges and 4,800 local bridges). To maintain, manage, and evaluate the needs of the State's bridge inventory, five personnel in the State Maintenance Office and two programming personnel coordinate with the districts, the Work Program Office, and the offices of Planning and Engineering Support Services.



The State Bridge Repair Program addresses routine maintenance, periodic maintenance, and specified rehabilitation activities on bridge structures for which FDOT has maintenance responsibilities. Each district receives funding based on its portion of the total State bridge inventory. Funds are allocated based on number of movable bridges and fender systems, tonnage of structural steel for painting, and the district's total quantity of deck area for bridges with an overall structural appraisal rating of "fair" or "poor." These funds are programmed and managed by each district. The Turnpike District is responsible for repair of bridges on the Turnpike Enterprise system and bridge projects funded by Turnpike funds. Pontis® is able to assimilate bridges under all the different programs and show how they fit into the various funding categories.

As in the State Bridge Replacement Program, the State Bridge Repair Program identifies bridges programmed for replacement from the annual Deficient Bridge List (figure 10), identified by one of the following definitions:

* Rehabilitation includes strengthening a bridge to increase its load carrying capacity, deck replacement, deck rehabilitation, or superstructure rehabilitation.
* Periodic Maintenance includes movable rebuild, deck major repair, superstructure major repair, paint system replacement, deck joint replacement, deck overlay, scour countermeasures, or fender repair/replacement.
* Routine Maintenance includes deck joint, deck, railing, superstructure, substructure, and channel maintenance and repair.

Broadway Bridge on US 92 over the Intracoastal Waterway,
Daytona Beach, FL

[Suncoaster]

A very timely post. The horrible bridge collapse was front-page news everywhere - for us, it brings back memories of the collapse of the Sunshine Skyway in, I think it was, 1980. Awful. A barge hit the supports and the bridge went down, carrying motorists and a busload of people to their deaths. A lot of planning went into the construction of the replacement bridge, including the addition of concrete buffers around the supports.

But how thoroughly is the bridge being inspected? After a sight like yesterday's, it makes you wonder.

We've had a couple of engineering failures with smaller bridges. The Crosstown Expressway was one; the ground beneath it wasn't solid. And another problem with the Memorial Causeway as well, I believe.

[harry chickpea]

Well, I guess a bridge collapse in Miami could make a lot of people happy by killing the sex offenders forced to live under it...

The drawbridges in Miami and Ft Lauderdale often have problems. What has impressed me is the fact that none of the overseas highway bridges have failed, even with the salt spray, heat , and winds.

[tallrick]

The Jewfish Creek drawbridge on US-1 is a really old and patched up bridge, I have been amazed how much corrosion it has every time I went under it. Fortunately it is being replaced with a newer design. Most of Florida has concrete span bridges which are not likely to collapse. The steel cantilever bridge is not used in Florida because it's a flat state without any deep water or valleys to cross. The scariest types of bridges are the newer prefabricated hollow style with cable reinforcing. If that cable corrodes, a whole section could fall out. Fortunately, the hollow inside allows very detailed inspections.

[tallrick]

Oh I forgot to mention, there are a lot of rusted culverts under local roads. Don't be surprised if some of them collapse.

[Dave_n_Tenn]

In light of the recent collaspe... it's a wonder more do not collaspe.... especially in the salt spray enviroment in Florida. I suppose a tribute to all the folks who do bridge inspections and maintenance, would be in order.

Thanks bridge people!

[sunrico90]

We wanted information about the safety of First Coast bridges, so we went to the area's bridge inspection chief. He shared some encouraging news, but when it came to the toughest questions, he said he wasn't allowed to answer them.

The Florida Department of Transportation says there are no bridges in Florida built with the design used in Minneapolis. We also don't have de-icing salts, the weight of snow, nor freezing and warming cycles to worry about. But inspections have put a handful of state bridges in Northeast Florida in the same broad engineering category as that Minnesota bridge -- "structurally deficient" -- which means, under the state's policy, it's time for immediate action. Every two years, inspection reports are put together for every bridge in Florida -- from a 3-mile monster to a little creek-crosser. If there's a lot of water, divers plunge in around the pilings. Lots of steel? Climbers scale up to the top. And in every case, engineers study the structure and work the numbers.

[sunrico90]

The following bridges are listed as structurally deficient, according to federal records. Bridges that have been repaired remain on the list until the state reinspects them.

BROWARD

# 14th Street Causeway over the Intracoastal Waterway between A1A and U.S. 1, Pompano Beach
# Hollywood Boulevard over the Intracoastal Waterway, Hollywood
# Southwest 125th Avenue over the New River on the north side of State Road 84, Plantation
# Commodore Drive over the New River on the north side of State Road 84, Plantation
# Sunrise Key Boulevard over the Karen Canal, south of Northeast Sixth Court, Fort Lauderdale
# Southeast Eighth Avenue over the Himmarshee Canal, south of Broward Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale
# Coconut Isle over Grande Canal south of Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale
# Isle of Venice over Las Olas Canal, north of Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale
# Fiesta Way over Las Olas Canal, north of Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale
# Nurmi Drive over Las Olas Canal, north of Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale
# Royal Palm Drive over Las Olas Canal, north of Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale
# Southwest 11th Avenue over North Fork of the New River, south of Broward Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale
# Southeast 15th Avenue over Marcheta River north of Southeast 13th Street, Fort Lauderdale
# Southeast 15th Avenue over Carlotta River, south of Southeast 13th Street, Fort Lauderdale
# Northeast 18th Avenue over Cypress Creek Canal (C-14), south of McNab Road, Fort Lauderdale
# Harborage Isle Drive over New River Sound, north of Isla Bahia Drive, Fort Lauderdale
# Northeast 17th Way over the Coral Waterway, Fort Lauderdale
# Northwest 74th Avenue over Plantation Canal north of Northwest Eighth Street, Fort Lauderdale
# Bureau of Indian Affairs Route 94 over the Miccosukee Canal west of tribal headquarters, Broward County


PALM BEACH

# Northbound U.S. 1 over the Intracoastal Waterway, north of State Road 706, Jupiter
# Northbound U.S. 1 over the FEC canal, north of State Road 706, Jupiter
# Southern Boulevard over the Intracoastal Waterway, West Palm Beach
# Southbound U.S. 1 over the Intracoastal Waterway north of State Road 706, Jupiter
# Southbound U.S. 1 over the FEC canal, north of State Road 706, Jupiter
# A1A over the Intracoastal Waterway, Palm Beach
# A1A over the Lake Worth Lagoon, Riviera Beach
# Tequesta Drive over the north fork of the Loxahatchee River, west of U.S. 1, Tequesta
# State Road 15 (Main Street) over the Hillsboro Canal (L-14) at East Canal Street, Belle Glade
# Loxahatchee River Road over the C-18 Canal, north of Center Street, Jupiter
# East Camino Real over Intracoastal Waterway, Boca Raton
# Northbound U.S. 27 over the Miami Canal (L-25) at John Stretch Park, Lake Harbor
# Southbound U.S. 27 over the Miami Canal (L-25) at John Stretch Park, Lake Harbor