Could it happen here?

Caltrans officials worked to assure people that there is no known risk to bridges around the state. But The Times' Sharon Bernstein reminds us this is earthquake country, and that adds to the potential danger of bridges collapsing. Last year, Sharon created a database of state records that found 600 bridges around the state remained in need of retrofitting or replacement, with the state saying they could be damaged in the event of a major temblor. Among the bridges are the Hyperion Bridge in Silverlake, the gothic 6th Street Bridge in downtown L.A. and the La Cienega Boulevard span over Ballona Creek.

Sharon will have more on this later. Meanwhile, local officials want the county to step up inspections (see below).

Supervisor Mike Antonovich will ask his colleagues Tuesday to have county road engineers "redouble their efforts" to look at area bridges in light of yesterday’s tragic collapse in Minneapolis, an aide said today. "We are confident with our bridges, but we’re asking them to take one more look, to be vigilant in their inspection and maintaining practices," said Tony Bell, a spokesman for Antonovich. While Bell acknowledged the county does not oversee any large spans similar to the Interstate 35W bridge that crumpled yesterday into the Mississippi River -- the city of Los Angeles, not the county, has purview over the Vincent Thomas Bridge, which links San Pedro to Terminal Island -- Bell said staff will be asked "to make sure that we haven’t missed one detail." A representative for the city and county public works departments could not immediately be reached for comment. The Vincent Thomas Bridge was completed in 1963 at a cost of $21 million and is similar in age to the Minneapolis span. In August of last year, the Vincent Thomas Bridge was closed for about two hours after an outbound cargo ship’s crane hit the span. Only minor damage was found, mostly to a metal catwalk used for painting. (CNS)

Comments

[Sheryl]

I'm pretty sure things like making sure roads, bridges, etc. were well maintained was part of what the framers intended when they used the phrase, "Promote the General Welfare" in the Preamble to the Constitution.

Our infrastructure is reaching it's breaking point. Most of it dates back 50, 60, 70 years and more; and very little of it has been well maintained or replaced as it should have been all along.

Personally, I blame all the people who bought into the argument that "general welfare" meant giving away free money to people--Thanks you SO much, Lyndon Johnson.

Anyone care to reinstate the WPA to fix all the stuff that's falling apart?

[Paul]

I have a feeling we will see this happen here, but with our massive freeway interchanges instead of our bridges. Take the 10/215 interchange for example, they have basically given up on retrofitting it (they've done all they can do) and have built beams underneath the ramps to "catch" them when they fall.

[Bill G]

Well Steve it's easy to blame Bush and a bit lazy if you ask me.

Our state government has plenty of money in transportation funds, billions actually that it chooses not to spend on infrastructure but instead uses it to make the state deficit look smaller or it's used to pay off debt.

There should be a law that makes the government use the gas tax just for transportation and infrastructure only.

[Steve]

How sad our infrastructure in Amercan is on the edge, i.e. MN Bridge, NY Steam Pipe, and there will be more. We pour trillions in to Iraq and Aphganistan to build new infrastructure and a good portion of that is wasted on corruption, and here we sit as Amercians die from this failure of our Federal Govt. When does it soak in to Bush we have priorities here to save Amercain lives rather then police the world.