Thread: Watch it with them bigger machines!

Originally Posted by Edster

This is the exact reason why we need to spend stimulus money for road and bridge projects. I am surprised that the Obama administration isn't using this as a poster child for their cause.

Old Edster - I'm not sure this would make the very best "poster child" for that purpose. First off, the bridge was in the process of being repaired (with plenty of taxpayer money, no doubt... possibly even "stimulus money"). You can't exactly say that it was being ignored for lack of funding. Second, it was not the main, load-carrying section of the bridge that collapsed. It was the sidewalk section that collapsed. I doubt that the sidewalk section was originally designed to support a 20-ton track excavator... although I could be wrong.

I believe this to have been principally about contractor and machine operator negligence. They had no business trying to support a 20-ton track excavator on the sidewalk section of this bridge without mucho inspection, analysis and appropriate temporary reinforcements where necessary.

A 20-ton track excavator does not show up for minor "patching" repairs. I'm guessing that it was going to be used for a fairly substantial series of repairs.

Dougster™