Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
(OP)
I was visiting my childhood stomping grounds this year an noticed a pedestrian bridge, owned by the Town, on Town property crossing a creek. The bridge is over 30 years old, and is constructed with telephone poles converted to Girders. The pole ends have began to decay. The bridge guard rail is a system of nailed-together 2x4's, precariously balanced. They are at least 30 years old.
I observed the bridge in action during a local duck derby. A crowd, mostly children, had gathered to watch the duck finish, which coincidentally is right below the bridge. The bridge began to bow, the handrail began to fail, the crowd screamed, and everyone let go of the rail just in time for it to spring back into place. Scary.
After the event I inspect the bridge, and do partially intrusive inspections to determine rot extent and basically give myself enough "fact" to present this issue to the Town. I approach the town with a letter, outlining the risk.
They respond quickly, but without action. Our back and forth "hey you have a problem", "it is not a priority for us right now" has been going on for 9 months. Who has the political power to give these guys a kick in the pants? I can write the news paper? Head up a pitch fork and tar crowd? Send the letter to their insurance company?
I'm just at a loss.
I observed the bridge in action during a local duck derby. A crowd, mostly children, had gathered to watch the duck finish, which coincidentally is right below the bridge. The bridge began to bow, the handrail began to fail, the crowd screamed, and everyone let go of the rail just in time for it to spring back into place. Scary.
After the event I inspect the bridge, and do partially intrusive inspections to determine rot extent and basically give myself enough "fact" to present this issue to the Town. I approach the town with a letter, outlining the risk.
They respond quickly, but without action. Our back and forth "hey you have a problem", "it is not a priority for us right now" has been going on for 9 months. Who has the political power to give these guys a kick in the pants? I can write the news paper? Head up a pitch fork and tar crowd? Send the letter to their insurance company?
I'm just at a loss.





RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
But then again, I'm not a fan of bureaucratic lollygaggers.
Dan - Owner
http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
I thought most jurisdictions code of ethics prohibited an engineer from making public statements without all of the facts (or something to this order). So, would writing a letter to the local news agency be in violation of the code of ethics?
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
Dan - Owner
http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
S()* flows downhill...
Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
I can roll my eyes and huff and puff, but at the end of the day, it doesn't mean a darn thing if the town won't act. The point of this post is that sometimes, the people who should be enforcing the laws society lives under, are in violation themselves.
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
I'd also not consider it a bad move to put yellow caution tape on the handrails with a tag explaining the problem.
Maine Professional and Structural Engineer. www.fepc.us
(Just passed the 16-hour SE exam, woohoo!)
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
I have the civil, the fund raisers, the Army Corp everything. They just won't move because "it is not a priority right now".
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
Maine Professional and Structural Engineer. www.fepc.us
(Just passed the 16-hour SE exam, woohoo!)
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
Perhaps you can think of something appropriate, and bring it before the city council for posting at each end of the bridge.
Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
I was also going to suggest "testing" the handrail, but that's already been covered.
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."
Ben Loosli
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
Maine Professional and Structural Engineer. www.fepc.us
(Just passed the 16-hour SE exam, woohoo!)
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
Jay Maechtlen
http://www.laserpubs.com/techcomm
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?
RE: Municipality Denying Structural Risk of Their Own Property
Be careful how far you go with this , or you might end up like this poor guy.
B.E.
You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.