Posted on 03/26/2024 8:57:44 AM PDT by MeganC
The tragedy in Baltimore with the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is fresh. Brave people are currently searching the dangerous tangled wreckage for any possible survivors and the dead.
But where the news media this morning is also talking about the impacts on shipping on the East Coast of the USA and the impacts on traffic on the East Coast it is a valid topic of discussion to consider the next steps.
1. Reopening the Port of Baltimore will be a priority. The NTSB will predictably conduct a speedy investigation and conclude the primary cause of the collapse as the cargo ship "Dali" having allided (correct word) with the bridge support.
The center span of the bridge will then be removed to clear the shipping channel. This may happen within a month if not sooner.
2. The bridge will be replaced. The questions are when and by what? Maryland being a Democrat regime the new bridge will cost untold billions, it will likely be a complex design, and it will of course have to feature a costly bike/pedestrian trail.
With the San Francisco Bay Bridge as an example it took fourteen years to replace the earthquake damaged section of the bridge with a costly and probably seismically unsound replacement. This came at an exorbitant cost.
The new bridge in Baltimore will likely take just as long to design, argue about, grift, and construct and no doubt multiple criminal scandals will occur during construction.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge replacement is very unlikely to bear the same name. In all due likelihood it will bear the name of someone favored by woke Democrats.
Anyone else care to weigh in here?
Never fear, Buttiboy is on the way there!
Northbound span George Floyd Bridge.
Southbound span Breonna Taylor Bridge.
The Biden collection of Crooks, Idiots, and allied weird species will want a debt increase for the following:
1. New bridge: $100 million
2. DEI training $345 trillion
3. Ukraine: $400 billion
4. Relief for idiot college students who got worthless majors: $630 million
5. Sex change operation for folks with severe mental problems: $350 million
and no Whites allowed to bid this time ?
Well, I guess the silver lining is when they rebuild it the can change the name from some old racist White guy.
From the video, I see several issues of government irresponsibility:
1. It appears the pier/columns were not lighted.
2. There should have been pier protective cells on approaches from each direction, such as those shown protecting the high mast lights
It will also have to adhere to the Americans With Disability Act in its design.
We are having a new bridge built here to replace a 50+ year old bridge and the new bridge will be twice as long and twice as wide because of the ADA...................
It will be the George Floyd Memorial Bridge..................
Well, it's Baltimore and NOT the mid '70's like the first time. What do you think? This is going to be an entertaining show to watch as the Port of Baltimore rots.
“2. There should have been pier protective cells on approaches from each direction, such as those shown protecting the high mast lights”
I saw this too.
The need for those protective structures could be eliminated if the replacement is a wide-span suspension bridge.
Why didn’t they originally make it a suspension bridge?
“Kweisi Mfume Memorial Bridge”
A tunnel would ensure this doesn’t happen again.
I don’t think we CAN replace the bridge - we’ve sent most of our “spare” cash to Ukraine, (and gave the rest to Iran).
“Kweisi Mfume Memorial Bridge”
I think I’m about to lose my lunch.
The recently collapsed bridge sections due to fires in Atlanta and one other place (CA?) were done much quicker than expected.
I wonder if they can set up ferry service to help with traffic.
Working from home will also help.
This will make “The Big Dig” look like a day at the park.
That sounds about right
I hear there’s some women from FIU that have bridge design experience…
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.