NFP - News: Thompson speaks out on bridge safety

It was a hot day when an even hotter topic was discussed – the safety of the Grand Island bridges. This past Wednesday, Rus Thompson, a candidate for the Erie County Legislature in the 10th District, held a press conference below the northbound South Grand Island Bridge.

The recent tragic collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis has many concerned about the safety of the bridges that Islanders cross each day. This issue has now provided more “fuel for the fire” that Thompson kindled about 10 months ago: a petition drive to get the Grand Island bridge tolls eliminated. He has urged people to go to his Web site, NoGITolls.com, and put their names down in support.

“We have over 6,300 signatures at this point,” Thompson said. “Maybe we can get their attention in Albany.”

Initially, Thompson pushed for removal of the bridge tolls because of the heavy backlog of traffic that occurs during rush hours. His petition, addressed to Gov. Eliot Spitzer, notes that the tolls are the reason why commuter traffic backs up so badly onto Route 290, as cars wait to get on the ramp to the I-190 North.

“Vehicles traveling at the speed limit are now coming up on vehicles at a dead stop,” Thompson wrote.

At the press conference, Thompson expounded upon his concerns regarding the safety of the Grand Island bridges: “When the tolls stop trucks, they then have to start going again to get up to speed while climbing the steep incline of the bridge. A couple hundred 1,000-pound truck trying to climb the incline put an extreme amount of stress and vibration on the bridge. Combine that with thousands of cars doing the same thing. It is a recipe for disaster,” he said.

Thompson has been in the construction field for 31 years.

Thompson pointed out specific bridge problems that greatly concern him. There are significant cracks in some of the concrete piers, as shown in the photo at right. The picture shows Pier No. 25, which is one of the supports for the northbound South Grand Island Bridge.

The photo above with Thompson also shows concrete spalling, which means that the concrete has broken up into chips and fragments. This is reportedly occurring on other piers as well. “Concrete spalling is so serious that rebar is exposed,” Thompson said.

Rust can also be seen oozing out of cracks in the piers. This “is a telltale sign that the steel underneath is corroding, and the structural stability compromised,” Thompson said. He further explained that the concrete cracking and falling is a sign of the rusting steel expanding within the piers.

On other piers, Thompson noted, there are corroded and frozen bearings and also sliding plates – which were put in place of bearings – that extend over the base plate. Having the larger plates at the top reduces the structural stability, Thompson said. “These plates and bearings are crucial in the proper operation of the bridges’ expansion and contraction. If the bridges cannot move as designed, it adds stress to areas of the steel bridges that were not designed for it,” he added.

Thompson said he contacted a few engineers, sent them photos of the North and South Grand Island Bridges, and asked for their opinion. “The results and opinions are not favorable,” he said. These engineers asked to remain anonymous because of possible repercussions, according to Thompson. Their comments are posted on the Web site noted above, however.

One engineer had this to say about the steel inside the concrete piers: “ … we know what’s happening to it. It’s rusting, and the rust is running out the cracks and down the outside of the pier. How much steel is left?” This individual is a certified bridge inspector, Thompson pointed out.

Another individual urged that a full study be done of the most recent bridge inspection reports in order “to make an accurate determination as to what overall remedial work should be taken to bring these structures to the level of functionality that increasingly heavy traffic loads demand.”

Thompson says he’s frustrated because people continuously call him to complain about bridge safety. “How sad they feel they will not get the answers from our elected representatives,” he said.

He informed to those in attendance of the problems with the bridges in the hopes that the Thruway Authority and elected representatives will act on these issues soon.

The NYS Thruway Authority will reportedly put out a $30 million project for bid later this year. This work involves a deck replacement project for the northbound South Grand Island Bridge. This “will include substantial substructure work on both of the South Grand Island bridges,” NYSTA spokeswoman Betsy Graham said. Whether this substructure work will address all of the problem areas, Thompson noted, is unknown at this time.

Pier No. 25, one of the northbound South Grand Island bridge supports.