Aug 3, 2007 7:26 am US/Eastern
FDOT: South Florida Bridges Are Safe
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MIAMI (CBS4) ―
With all the bridges we have in South Florida, many drivers have wondered if the type of bridge collapse that occurred in Minnesota could happen here.
Florida Department of Transportation engineers say there's no real cause for concern because the type of bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis doesn't exist down here. Also, state engineers check bridges in our area every two years and order repairs when issues are found.
The FDOT says the majority of our major bridges, like I-395 over Biscayne Bay, are in great shape. Others, like the Venetian Causeway are showing signs of age and have had weight restrictions placed on them.
Of the more than 800 bridges in Miami Dade and Monroe counties; from the MacArthur Causeway, to the I-95 flyover at the Golden Glades, to the William Lehman Causeway in Aventura, all have gotten satisfactory ratings.
"I think we're pretty good, yeah," said FDOT Chief Engineer Frank Guyamier, "I mean there's no bridge right now that keeps me up at night."
FDOT officials point out that the Rickenbacker Causeway leading to Key Biscayne is in good shape, but the old fishing bridge next to it was falling apart so it was shut down to pedestrian traffic this week.
There are also other bridges in our area on the state's repair radar.
"These repairs go anywhere from needing painting to needing a lot of expansion joint replacement to some major reconstruction," said Guyamier. "Right now, we're rebuilding the 12th Avenue bridge."
As for the bridges leading down and through the Keys, work has already been scheduled.
As expected, corrosion has caused some problems on bridges in the Keys. The FDOT says they have plans on the books to replace the aging bridge over the C-111 Canal on the '18 mile stretch, perform major repairs to the Bahia Honda Bridge, and make some minor repairs on the 7 Mile Bridge.
The last major bridge related catastrophe in South Florida was 5 years ago, when the bridge tender house on the Flagler Bridge near downtown Miami collapsed. The bridge tender escaped with some serious injuries. The cause of the collapse; just an old bridge.
"If anybody needs to be vigilant about our bridges, their safety and their quality," said U.S. Representative Mario Diaz Balart, "it's those of us in Florida."
Diaz Balart, who sits on the House Transportation Committee, has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation asking for a full review of South Florida's bridges.
"At this stage we don't have any reason to believe the state is not doing their job as they are supposed to," said Diaz Balart, "but again, it's important to make sure that everything is being done as it needs to be done because we need to do everything we can to avoid this type of tragedy happen."
Currently the South Florida district, which includes Miami Dade and Monroe counties, is at 93-percent compliance; which is 4-percent over what is required by the state.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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