PennDOT inspects Fort Duquesne Bridge after pieces of concrete fall

[bing101]

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2019/05/01/Fort-Duquesne-Bridge-PennDOT-falling-concrete-emergency-inspection/stories/201905010120?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_Pittsburgh_Post-Gazette&fbclid=IwAR1VgOuhMY2AFoiFiZJFmHcCKSo5vyvNOD-lgfuoGsjOQ25AzYk9UAKrQcw

Yes San Francisco is not the only place where concrete is reported to fall off freeways and bridges now Fort Duquesne Bridge is also being inspected as a precaution.

[PAHighways]

Technically they didn't fall off the bridge, but rather the viaduct that connects the North Shore Expressway to the bridge.  In either case, the decks of the viaducts to 279 and 65 need replaced as well.

SM-G965U

[index]

Similarly, I found a large chunk of concrete last week, at the parking lot under I-376 near the Mon Wharf in Pittsburgh, that had fell off of the viaduct above. I was vacationing there for my spring break.


It was pretty big, I'd say it was about the length of one of my legs and as wide as about half of my torso, and pretty dang heavy. Could have easily screwed up a car. Perhaps I should have reported it? Well, in any case, the chunk is gone, because I threw it into the Monongahela River. Don't ask why, because I don't know either. Oh well. I don't think I'd need the chunk to report it anyway.

[rickmastfan67]

Similarly, I found a large chunk of concrete last week, at the parking lot under I-376 near the Mon Wharf in Pittsburgh, that had fell off of the viaduct above. I was vacationing there for my spring break.


It was pretty big, I'd say it was about the length of one of my legs and as wide as about half of my torso, and pretty dang heavy. Could have easily screwed up a car. Perhaps I should have reported it? Well, in any case, the chunk is gone, because I threw it into the Monongahela River. Don't ask why, because I don't know either. Oh well. I don't think I'd need the chunk to report it anyway.

Yes, I'd report that man.

[hbelkins]

Similarly, I found a large chunk of concrete last week, at the parking lot under I-376 near the Mon Wharf in Pittsburgh, that had fell off of the viaduct above. I was vacationing there for my spring break.


It was pretty big, I'd say it was about the length of one of my legs and as wide as about half of my torso, and pretty dang heavy. Could have easily screwed up a car. Perhaps I should have reported it? Well, in any case, the chunk is gone, because I threw it into the Monongahela River. Don't ask why, because I don't know either. Oh well. I don't think I'd need the chunk to report it anyway.

Yes, I'd report that man.

Typically, falling concrete like this does not represent a structural issue. It looks scarier than it really is. One of Kentucky's gubernatorial candidates posted a picture yesterday of some of the piers of the Brent Spence (I-71/I-75) Bridge between Kentucky and Ohio, that shows some of the concrete surface gone and exposed rebar. He's trying to push a panic button where one is not needed. Trowel some concrete over it, and the problem is basically solved.

There was a similar issue for years with one of the bridges at the I-64/I-75 northern split (either the southbound lanes of I-75, or the adjacent Norfolk Southern railroad line). You could see some missing concrete with exposed rebar. It stayed like that for several years until being repaired, with no structural threat to the bridge.

But having said that -- yes, such instances should be reported. Take pictures of the fallen chunks of concrete and report the matter to the bridge's owner (state or local DOT). Contrary to popular belief, government agencies don't have ESP and can't automatically know when there's a problem. Someone needs to inform them.

[index]

Similarly, I found a large chunk of concrete last week, at the parking lot under I-376 near the Mon Wharf in Pittsburgh, that had fell off of the viaduct above. I was vacationing there for my spring break.


It was pretty big, I'd say it was about the length of one of my legs and as wide as about half of my torso, and pretty dang heavy. Could have easily screwed up a car. Perhaps I should have reported it? Well, in any case, the chunk is gone, because I threw it into the Monongahela River. Don't ask why, because I don't know either. Oh well. I don't think I'd need the chunk to report it anyway.

Yes, I'd report that man.

Typically, falling concrete like this does not represent a structural issue. It looks scarier than it really is. One of Kentucky's gubernatorial candidates posted a picture yesterday of some of the piers of the Brent Spence (I-71/I-75) Bridge between Kentucky and Ohio, that shows some of the concrete surface gone and exposed rebar. He's trying to push a panic button where one is not needed. Trowel some concrete over it, and the problem is basically solved.

There was a similar issue for years with one of the bridges at the I-64/I-75 northern split (either the southbound lanes of I-75, or the adjacent Norfolk Southern railroad line). You could see some missing concrete with exposed rebar. It stayed like that for several years until being repaired, with no structural threat to the bridge.

But having said that -- yes, such instances should be reported. Take pictures of the fallen chunks of concrete and report the matter to the bridge's owner (state or local DOT). Contrary to popular belief, government agencies don't have ESP and can't automatically know when there's a problem. Someone needs to inform them.

Well I ended up sending in a report to PennDOT about the concrete yesterday, so that's taken care of.

[hbelkins]

Well I ended up sending in a report to PennDOT about the concrete yesterday, so that's taken care of.

Good, and hopefully they will respond to you with at least an acknowledgement that they got your report.

Getting messages such as "when are you going to fix such-and-such-a-route" are frustrating, because sometimes that message is the first indication that there's an issue.