PennDOT Still Trying To Gather The Info, Says It May Take Some Time
PG reader Mary graciously forwarded this interesting site to the Pist-Gazette: Nationalbridges.com. On this site, one can search for any bridge, anywhere, and retrieve quite detailed information about the bridge(s).
Due to public pressure, PennDOT has recently reversed its policy of not releasing structural integrity ratings for our bridges. They’ve now said this information will be forthcoming, but it may take some time for them to put it together. Just for starters, someone should help PennDOT out by referring them to the above site.
According to Nationalbridges.com, the following Allegheny County bridges have Structural Evaluation ratings of 2. A rating of 0 means the bridge is already closed, 1 means there is an imminent threat of collapse, and 2-4 are varying grades of “Poor” condition. No wonder PennDOT feared the public’s response to seeing these statistics in print.
In addition to the “2”-rated bridges below, there are 6 other Allegheny County bridges listed on the site which have already been closed due to their “imminent failure” status. The total repair costs for the “2”-rated and closed bridges is listed as being $31,297,000.
A few things immediately scream to mind as one reviews this information. First, in all the big cardboard checks Gov. Rendell has handed out lately, $31M would seem to be a veritable drop in the bucket. He couldn’t find this paltry amount anywhere in any of his “rainy day funds” or WAM monies? And he's now bellyaching that the deplorable state of our bridges is a prime example as to why his plan to toll I80 should be accepted. But hasn’t he already earmarked those new tolls to bail out the Port Authority? Oh, excuse me, I forgot. Rendell’s standard operating procedure is to promise the use of the same monies in two, three, sometimes four different places. He thinks we don't remember these things from day to day.
Pittsburgh’s own City Council has behaved as disgustingly as Rendall in this regard. Unbelievably, Council approved a TIF for “needy” PNC Bank when the bridges the city owns and maintains are also in deplorable condition. But what the heck …. What’s more important, feeding wealthy power brokers so as to maintain their political standing, or the safety and welfare of the citizens of Pittsburgh?
Lastly, if this doesn’t just scream out loud for “regional consolidation”, I don’t know what does. Millvale is looking at a half million dollars in critical bridge repairs and “prosperous”, flood-ravaged Etna is on the hook for close to that number. Where in the world (and WHEN in the world) are those two town-lettes going to come up with that kind of money? Multiply that question times 130.
Read and weep, my fellow citizens:
LR 120 Forbes Ramp From Blvd of Allies
Owned/Maintained by: State of PA
Sufficiency Rating: 2% (out of a possible 100%!!)
Superstructure Condition: Critical
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 17,688
Cost to Repair: $944,000
Maurice St Ramp from Forbes Ave Over Blvd of Allies
Owned/Maintained by: State of PA
Sufficiency Rating: 2%
Superstructure Condition: Critical
Substructure Condition: Critical
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 21,160
Cost to Repair: $2,583,000
West Ohio St
Owned/Maintained by: Railroad
Sufficiency Rating: 2%
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 3,526
Cost to Repair: $1,251,000
Millers Run Rd
Owned/Maintained by: South Fayette Twp
Sufficiency Rating: 2%
Superstructure Condition: Critical
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 4,158
Cost to Repair: $1,091,000
Hulton Bridge
Owned/Maintained by: State of PA
Sufficiency Rating: 3%
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 21,740
Cost to Repair: $8,749,000
Baptist Rd
Owned/Maintained by: Bethel Park
Sufficiency Rating: 3%
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 12,499
Cost to Repair: $426,000
Lovedale Rd
Owned/Maintained by: Lincoln
Sufficiency Rating: 4%
Scour: Critical
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 8,772
Cost to Repair: $218,000
Old Hemlock Dr II
Owned/Maintained by: Hampton Twp
Sufficiency Rating: 7%
Substructure Condition: Critical
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 200
Cost to Repair: $48,000
Dravo St Over Girtys Run
Owned/Maintained by: Shaler Twp
Sufficiency Rating: 12.1%
Superstructure Condition: Critical
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 50
Cost to Repair: $257,000
Timberland Ave Off Route 51
Owned/Maintained by: City of Pittsburgh
Sufficiency Rating: 16.8%
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 30
Cost to Repair: $107,000
Hans Rd
Owned/Maintained by: North Fayette Twp
Sufficiency Rating: 21.8%
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 100
Cost to Repair: $188,000
McArdle Roadway #1
Owned/Maintained by: City of Pittsburgh
Sufficiency Rating: 23.8%
Substructure Condition: Critical
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 1,000
Cost to Repair: $1,058,000
Pennmont St
Owned/Maintained by: Elizabeth Township
Sufficiency Rating: 26.4%
Substructure Condition: Critical
Scour: Critical
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 200
Cost to Repair: $86,000
Wood St
Owned/Maintained by: South Park Twp
Sufficiency Rating: 26.8%
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 200
Cost to Repair: $163,000
North Ave Over Girtys Run
Owned/Maintained by: Millvale
Sufficiency Rating: 33.5%
Superstructure Condition: Critical
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 2,500
Cost to Repair: $351,000
Clearview Rd
Owned/Maintained by: Hampton Twp
Sufficiency Rating: 34.2%
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 300
Cost to Repair: $188,000
Dewey St
Owned/Maintained by: Etna
Sufficiency Rating: 36.8%
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 500
Cost to Repair: $389,000
Fremont St Over Girtys Run
Owned/Maintained by: Millvale
Sufficiency Rating: 37%
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 50
Cost to Repair: $174,000
Ramp Below Westinghouse Bridge
Owned/Maintained by: State of PA
Sufficiency Rating: 37%
Substructure Condition: Critical
Structural Evaluation: 2
Average Daily Traffic: 7,543
Cost to Repair: $8,145,000
2 comments:
great site! Heard about you on WDVE this AM.
The Phantom
I am boggled by the delay in Penn Dot's posting the structural integrity ratings - they need time to gather the info? Don't they have this info at their fingertips in an organized fashion, perhaps in a table format with columns for each bridge, its rating, problems to be addressed, estimated costs for fixing, etc.?
Unbelievable. I'd like to know what PennDot's budget is, how many it employs, & in what capacity - I can only imagine these numbers are ginormous. And yet, within this behemoth, no one can easily access this most vital of data?
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