The cost of the repairs, estimated at $79,271, will be added to the existing bridge rehabilitation contract being performed by General Constructors, Inc from Mount Juliet, Tennessee. Crews will use a welding technique called full penetrating welding where molten metal is created during the process and penetrates through the entire bridge beam eliminating the cracks. Before traffic is permitted to cross the bridge, TDOT will inspect the weld using X-ray technology to ensure the weld was performed correctly.

I’m glad to see that the problems are being addressed immediately. But an even bigger problem is our lack of funding for the nation’s surface transportation program.

Highways are in disrepair, bridges are crumbling, but we can’t seem to get a reauthorization of our highwill bill.

Instead, our president still supports an 18-month delay before reauthorizing SAFETEA-LU.

What’s even more ironic about this, is according to the Better Roads’ 2009 Bridge Inventory  (go to our current issue or click on the digital edition on this Website to access it), Washington, D.C., has the highest percentage of combined structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges in the nation.

What’s it going to take to get the message across to Congress and Obama? A bridge collapsing underneath of them?

If I failed to do my job, I’d get fired. Why aren’t we holding our nation’s elected official accountable?