2008 Woodie Awards
IDOT plans inspection of bridges
Stephanie Lyons
Issue date: 8/27/07 Section: News
The Illinois Department of Transportation made bridge safety one of their top priorities after the I-35W Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis collapsed.
Mike Claffey, spokesperson for Illinois Department of Transportation, said that a day or two after the Minnesota bridge collapsed IDOT announced they would be inspecting all bridges in Illinois that have the same design. IDOT also plans to inspect bridges that have construction underway and that span over waterways.
"There are only a handful, seven or eight, bridges of the same design as the Minnesota bridge. There are a couple in Peoria, along the Mississippi, the Ohio River going into Kentucky and one on the Wabash River," Claffey said.
Claffey said IDOT did not find anything that caused concern, but said they are on heightened alert. In their recent multi-year program, IDOT devoted 23 percent of funds to bridge projects, which was up 3 percent from the previous multi-year.
"We are devoting significant resources because we understand how important it is to ensure the safety of our bridge men," Claffey said.
Claffey explained that there needs to be more investment in infrastructure, and this cannot be achieved without a capital funding plan.
"Then we can improve the conditions of the bridges more rapidly," Claffey said.
For the last four or five years Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been pushing for a capital plan, according to Claffey.
As of right now, it is a $10 million investment plan that would come with federal funds totaling $22 billion, over the next five or six years, for infrastructure investments. Whether they are safe or not, students at ISU are wary about crossing Illinois bridges.
"It is kind of scary because I watched the news, and they said that there are a lot of registered bridges that are unsafe. I feel pretty safe on them, but then again it could happen anywhere," Stephanie Page, a senior marketing major, said.
"I'm from a place along the Mississippi River so we have quite a few bridges in our area. I try to avoid them if I can," Amie Reed, a senior math major, said.
Mike Claffey, spokesperson for Illinois Department of Transportation, said that a day or two after the Minnesota bridge collapsed IDOT announced they would be inspecting all bridges in Illinois that have the same design. IDOT also plans to inspect bridges that have construction underway and that span over waterways.
"There are only a handful, seven or eight, bridges of the same design as the Minnesota bridge. There are a couple in Peoria, along the Mississippi, the Ohio River going into Kentucky and one on the Wabash River," Claffey said.
Claffey said IDOT did not find anything that caused concern, but said they are on heightened alert. In their recent multi-year program, IDOT devoted 23 percent of funds to bridge projects, which was up 3 percent from the previous multi-year.
"We are devoting significant resources because we understand how important it is to ensure the safety of our bridge men," Claffey said.
Claffey explained that there needs to be more investment in infrastructure, and this cannot be achieved without a capital funding plan.
"Then we can improve the conditions of the bridges more rapidly," Claffey said.
For the last four or five years Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been pushing for a capital plan, according to Claffey.
As of right now, it is a $10 million investment plan that would come with federal funds totaling $22 billion, over the next five or six years, for infrastructure investments. Whether they are safe or not, students at ISU are wary about crossing Illinois bridges.
"It is kind of scary because I watched the news, and they said that there are a lot of registered bridges that are unsafe. I feel pretty safe on them, but then again it could happen anywhere," Stephanie Page, a senior marketing major, said.
"I'm from a place along the Mississippi River so we have quite a few bridges in our area. I try to avoid them if I can," Amie Reed, a senior math major, said.
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