Bridge inspections yield nothing so far
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
No signs have yet been found that bridges similar to one that collapsed August 1 in Minneapolis MN have structural problems that would endanger drivers, the government said.
Richard Capka, administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, told a House of Representatives Transportation Committee hearing that more than half of the 760 steel truss bridges nationally have been inspected since the Interstate 35W bridge collapse fatal to 13 people.
The Department of Transportation ordered states to perform immediate inspections after the Minneapolis collapse into the Mississippi River. A final report on the inspections will be provided at the end of November, Capka said.
According to DOT figures, more than 73,000 bridges are structurally deficient, meaning a span has major deterioration, cracks, or other flaws.
