So we’re in the middle of a tropical storm called Debby which has dumped about a foot of rain in the past few days. With somewhere between 12 and 14 inches of rain it’s a lot for our older infrastructure to handle but should we expect that brand new bridge at Sharpes Ferry to be able to manage a tropical storm?
Apparently the foot of rain was more than expected by the engineers who constructed the new bridge because it has been shut down to all traffic for what may be many months as they survey the damage done by the recent rains. The bridge itself is fine but there seems to be touble with the retaining walls put in place to support the bridge.
The bridge is closed for service just two months after opening and could be down for as long as 6 months or more if repairs are needed. Does it seem odd that a brand spanking new bridge in Florida was not designed to handle a foot of rain from a tropical storm? Should we expect more from our industrial engineers and civil projects?
From localized flooding to downed trees and even large sinkholes, Tropical Storm Debby has caused big problems in Marion County. Significant damage from Debby caused the part of the busy Sharpes Ferry Bridge to collapse. The bridge, along County Road 314, just a few miles east of I-75, remains closed Tuesday. Officials said torrential rain Sunday night damaged the bridge’s retaining walls, which hold dirt and other road structural materials in place.
June 26, 2012
Marion County Florida