Bridge safety research program in works
A report found a third of N.J.'s spans were not up to par. Another
priced fixes at $13.6 billion.
By Tom Hester Jr.
Associated Press
TRENTON - With a third of New Jersey bridges considered either obsolete
or deficient, state legislators yesterday moved to create a bridge
safety research program meant to prevent a collapse similar to the one
that killed 13 people in Minnesota.
A recent state report on the 6,400 large bridges in New Jersey found
4,200 bridges in good condition, but 1,500 obsolete bridges and about
700 deficient bridges. The report was ordered by Gov. Corzine following
the Aug. 1 collapse along I-35W in Minneapolis.
Another report estimated the state would have to spend $13.6 billion in
the next 10 years to fix its bridges.
Assemblyman John Wisniewski proposed having Rutgers University create a
program to study bridge degradation, improved design methods, and new
methods for building, testing and repairing state bridges.
His bill would provide $500,000 to start the program and at least $1
million more in coming years to keep it running.
"Preparation now will help prevent catastrophic failures in the future,"
said Wisniewski (D., Middlesex).
The bill was released yesterday by the Assembly Transportation Committee
chaired by Wisniewski and can now be considered by the full Assembly.
Under the plan, Rutgers' Center for Advanced Infrastructure and
Transportation would create the program.
Ali Maher, the center's director, said the funding would help Rutgers
find new bridge technology and lure federal research money.
"We would like to look into and get a better understanding of how
bridges deteriorate," Maher said.
But Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck (R., Monmouth) questioned why
legislators would give $1.5 million to Rutgers while the state
Transportation Department oversees and inspects bridges.
"At a time when we don't have a lot of money in the state of New Jersey,
why aren't we supplementing DOT?" Beck asked.
Wisniewski said Rutgers' research could break new ground.
"We want to be ahead of the curve," Maher added.
Corzine is finalizing a plan to pay state debt and repair transportation
infrastructure such as bridges by increasing highway tolls.
Corzine hasn't said how much tolls may increase, but Transportation
Commissioner Kris Kolluri has said the state needs to increase tolls 45
percent just to widen the New Jersey Turnpike and fix bridges on it and
the Garden State Parkway.
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