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Bridge Collapse in Frick Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

LostInTyme

Practically Family
The infrastructure bill didn't come in time for this one. No one was killed.

9547B2FC-645A-4331-84BC-7146E7F6BD0D.jpeg
 
Messages
18,171
Homeless camps & people living more or less permanently under bridges can do a lot of damage. A recent fire under a bridge in KC killed a 28 yr old woman among those living under there. They had the area under the bridge almost totally rocked up for privacy & to hold the heat in from their fires. They had 2x4's overhead running across between the bottom flanges of the steel girders with bedding above where they slept overhead. So much trash & crap under there it was like an inferno & when the fire got out of hand the others living under there deserted leaving the victim's body behind.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article257335137.html
 

ES335

One of the Regulars
Messages
202
Location
Baltimore. Actually, I love it.
There's nothing "political" about failing critical infrastructure in an economy where growth is utterly dependant on the efficient, safe and reliable movement of goods, people and services. There is in America, however, politics as usual from the usuals in failing to properly fund development and and long-term maintenance.
 

LostInTyme

Practically Family
I agree. Today, I learned that in Pennsylvania, bridge inspections and the reports there-of are deliberately kept SECRET from the public. This is state law. Sounds much like a conspiracy to keep the people the dark and risking their lives needlessly when they may be in danger.
 

ES335

One of the Regulars
Messages
202
Location
Baltimore. Actually, I love it.
Homeless camps & people living more or less permanently under bridges can do a lot of damage. A recent fire under a bridge in KC killed a 28 yr old woman among those living under there. They had the area under the bridge almost totally rocked up for privacy & to hold the heat in from their fires. They had 2x4's overhead running across between the bottom flanges of the steel girders with bedding above where they slept overhead. So much trash & crap under there it was like an inferno & when the fire got out of hand the others living under there deserted leaving the victim's body behind.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article257335137.html
I'm pretty sure very few people of sound mind, health, and ecomomic security live under bridges by choice. Especially in the dead of Pa's winter. Regardless, my best guess is cheap design, shoddy contracting, poor inspections and maint. are far more likely to blame. Expect more of these failures to come. You get what you pay for, and tolerate.
 
Messages
18,171
I agree. Today, I learned that in Pennsylvania, bridge inspections and the reports there-of are deliberately kept SECRET from the public. This is state law. Sounds much like a conspiracy to keep the people the dark and risking their lives needlessly when they may be in danger.
I’m just going to drop this in here as a fact check, then leave this all behind before things turn bad.


https://gis.penndot.gov/paprojects/BridgeConditionsMap.aspx
 
Messages
18,171
I'm pretty sure very few people of sound mind, health, and ecomomic security live under bridges by choice. Especially in the dead of Pa's winter. Regardless, my best guess is cheap design, shoddy contracting, poor inspections and maint. are far more likely to blame. Expect more of these failures to come. You get what you pay for, and tolerate.
I simply will leave that comment alone.
 

KILO NOVEMBER

One Too Many
Messages
1,068
Location
Hurricane Coast Florida
There's nothing "political" about failing critical infrastructure in an economy where growth is utterly dependant on the efficient, safe and reliable movement of goods, people and services. There is in America, however, politics as usual from the usuals in failing to properly fund development and and long-term maintenance.

No, the "political" part comes in when you decide who pays for it. Who built this bridge, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or Uncle Sam?

If the bridge isn't on an interstate highway (where the federal fuel tax is imposed to maintain it) then just who is responsible for maintaining (i.e., paying) is a political question. No governor or mayor wants to run for re-election after having overseen the imposition of higher taxes to pay for needed local infrastructure work. None want to be vilified for moving money from some pressure group's favorite social program to pay for them, so they go to Uncle Sam for "free money".

My home town is located on the Allegheny river. In 1908 the County built a bridge across the river there, replacing the ferry service. In 2016 that bridge was demolished in spectacular fashion after a replacement was constructed financed 80% by the federal government.
 

Motocann

One Too Many
Messages
1,659
Location
San Francisco
Decades of failing infrastructure is part of a larger problem, which is rooted in the forever increasing “corporate welfare state”. The Wall Street criminals have systematically high jacked our political systems and looted the public tax base. Corporations have manipulated the 14th amendment to obtained “personhood”, henceforth they have used this precedent to defraud the American taxpayers. Follow the money and ask yourself, “Exactly how does someone like Bill Gates make so much money?” Recommended reading…
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ES335

One of the Regulars
Messages
202
Location
Baltimore. Actually, I love it.
Careful, Merv. you'll get called a socialist... or something or other by people who don't begin to understand the terms they try and hurl as insults. Rich how those who demand all the benifits of living in this country tirelessly avoid paying the costs of membership to Club America, while insisting others shoulder the burden.
 

Motocann

One Too Many
Messages
1,659
Location
San Francisco
Careful, Merv. you'll get called a socialist... or something or other by people who don't begin to understand the terms they try and hurl as insults. Rich how those who demand all the benifits of living in this country tirelessly avoid paying the costs of membership to Club America, while insisting others shoulder the burden.

Meh... I don't really care what other people call me. The word "socialist" has become one of those dog whistle words. Still, we live in unprecedented times, where according to Thomas Piketty, there's more capital in the top 4% of the world's population, then all the accumulated wealth throughout history. If that's not Socialism for a select few people, I don't know what is.
 

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