Photo: Twitter/ricky_ricon_riquisimo
On Thursday, a recently erected pedestrian bridge linking Florida International University’s (FIU) Modesto A. Maidique Campus to the city of Sweetwater collapsed, killing at least six people and crushing an unknown number of cars.
Scheduled to open to pedestrian traffic in 2019, the bridge was erected in a few hours on Saturday, after a 950-ton span was put in place through a construction technique called Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC).
In essence, the technique calls for bridges to be erected with as little impact on traffic as possible, by making preparatory work in advance and off-site.
"Instead of closing traffic for long periods of time as you build all parts of the bridge on-site, you can reduce the impact to the traffic if you can build some parts off-site and then move them to the site and then put them in place," Janey Camp, associate professor in civil engineering at Vanderbilt University was quoted as saying by ABC News.
Senator Marco Rubio told CNN that the bridge collapsed as construction workers were trying to tighten the cables that supported it.
According to witnesses, the bridge collapsed following a bomb-like boom. Aside for the six people that have lost their lives, the Kendall Regional Medical Center reported an additional nine injuried patients.
It's not yet clear how many of the victims were construction workers and motorists, as search and rescue operations are still underway.
According to representatives of the FIU, who commissioned the work, the bridge was supposed to withstand a category 5 hurricane and was designed to last for a 100 years. Funded in part by the Department of Transportation, it cost $14.2 million.
The cause of the collapse is still to be determined. The state’s governor, Rick Scott, said that those found to have had a role to play in the collapse would be held accountable.
In essence, the technique calls for bridges to be erected with as little impact on traffic as possible, by making preparatory work in advance and off-site.
"Instead of closing traffic for long periods of time as you build all parts of the bridge on-site, you can reduce the impact to the traffic if you can build some parts off-site and then move them to the site and then put them in place," Janey Camp, associate professor in civil engineering at Vanderbilt University was quoted as saying by ABC News.
Senator Marco Rubio told CNN that the bridge collapsed as construction workers were trying to tighten the cables that supported it.
According to witnesses, the bridge collapsed following a bomb-like boom. Aside for the six people that have lost their lives, the Kendall Regional Medical Center reported an additional nine injuried patients.
It's not yet clear how many of the victims were construction workers and motorists, as search and rescue operations are still underway.
According to representatives of the FIU, who commissioned the work, the bridge was supposed to withstand a category 5 hurricane and was designed to last for a 100 years. Funded in part by the Department of Transportation, it cost $14.2 million.
The cause of the collapse is still to be determined. The state’s governor, Rick Scott, said that those found to have had a role to play in the collapse would be held accountable.
First-of-its-kind pedestrian bridge “swings” into place. “FIU is about building bridges and student safety. This project accomplishes our mission beautifully,” -President Mark B. Rosenberg. https://t.co/x8gPM9A4DG #worldsahead pic.twitter.com/mPEMeh2zmw
— FIU (@FIU) 10 martie 2018
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