Absolutely. I can visualize objects and structures quite well from "only" ground level pictures, but there is simply nothing that compares to getting an bird's eye view. The Teton Pass highway collapse was one that was "eye opening" to see from above too 😉
As a commercial drone pilot I must encourage you to continue and even expand the use of drone footage. 😄 I’m watching this story because it is such a ridiculous situation re what RIDOT is doing. Who the hell would bid on building them a bridge?
Casey yes, the excellent drone footage adds immensely to your presentation of the issues involved your videos. From one engineer to another, keep up the good work!!
Great video. Thank you. I worked for AECOM and other engineering firms for 40 years as a Commissioning Engineer. I found that the more defects I found the more I was hated. I eventually was forced to resign and retire because I refused to lower my standards. Fortunately I was well off and was fine with it. But most, if not all other CX engineers did not have a problem lowering their standards. I’m sure this is what happened on this bridge.
I agree Gerry. One of my engineering team worked you years back. When you are the proverbial stone in the shoe, you are resented by the bean counter crew.
@@PowderMill Want to know something scary. In software, almost certainly including software for monitoring equipment you use, it's much worse. In most companies, especially large companies, putting a warning that doing xyz causes bad measurements will get someone fired. Not because of the bug, but for making it public. There is almost never 3rd party inspection of software. All the certifications are for processes, and not actual quality.
Good work sourcing the RIDOT Bridge Inspection Manual for points of responsibility. It makes one wonder if the legal department at RIDOT has a copy for its own use. And the drone footage is very revealing to the current state of projects where you have commissioned them. I appreciate that video information, too.
Thanks very much! I will keep at it. I thought the bridge inspection manual spelled out the lines of responsibilities very well between RiDOT and their consultants. I know there are some local media outlets that follow my videos on this bridge so I would love it if they asked RiDOT about their responsibilities relative to performing inspections.
@@CaseyJones-Engineer Fair point. OTOH, I own and rent out property, and I'm ultimately responsible for it, thus liable for anything that turns out to be unsafe. But if I hire a contractor that turns out to be negligent, and somebody gets hurt as a result, I can still sue that contractor, especially since I'm paying them for expertise I don't have. Honestly, while I want the bridge replaced ASAP, if a contractor did stuff up, then I want them held responsible. I have no idea if they did-that's for the judiciary to decide-but somebody could've been hurt, like with so many other decrepit bridges around the US. And I'd rather my taxpayer transport dollars go toward improvements and maintenance, than replacing a bridge that failed from negligence.
@@nomadMik The problem is that they sued or threatened to sue everybody who touched the bridge. Example. Say you have work done on your rental property and then hire another company to inspect the property every year. The inspection company says to do a thorough job you're going to have to kick everyone out for a week, rent a man-lift, and pay them more. You say no. Then, ten years later, someone gets to that spot and finds a problem. Suing the contractor a decade later is crazy. In this scenario, you essentially waived the thorough inspection and accepted the work as is. Suing the inspection company because they didn't find the issue sooner is even crazier. Except, that's what RiDOT did.
Never had any interest in your profession until I saw one of your videos. Nice and concise, informative, insightful and interesting. Now I don’t miss one
I have a brother who is a Civil Engineer who worked with bridge replacements for decades (I'm a Mechanical Engineer). He tells me that he has done a number of smaller bridges that were able to reuse the existing foundations (with perhaps some surface repairs or riprap for protection) - as they were concrete piers down to bedrock - and locking ridges were cut into the bedrock before the concrete piers were poured. Of course, not all places have solid bedrock within 10 ft (or so) of the river bottom.
Left a crane that probably costs 30-60k a day … and probably causes another lawsuit the demolition company will file for not meeting the terms of the let contract . Would not surprise me if RIDOT will blame the lack of progress on the demolition company per the let contract .. RIDOT definitely does not comprehend claims avoidance and mitigation
Thanks for your comments. The indirect costs of RiDOT and the state of Rhode Island suing on these people will have contributed to significant cost increases and delays in getting this bridge replaced. Plus, I think their ability to actually prevail in this lawsuit may be very limited. Any judgement amount would reflect the percentage that RiDOT was to blame. That is why they have been "radio silent" about their role in this whole mess.
My thoughts too. And the fact that they now have screwed up who knows how many more jobs down the line that the equipment and manpower from this project were set to move on to after this one was done.
I live in RI and as a rower, rowed under the Washington bridge starting in the 1990's. They have been working on that bridge off and on for decades. The original was a four lane draw bridge. The bridge you see in the video was a renovation done in the early 2000's. Since then there seemed to be endless work on the thing. Expansion joints needed repairs etc. So why no one saw the issues that finally resulted in its closure is a mystery. In the early 2000's it was said over 90% of the road bridges in RI needed replacing. In fact one of the on ramp access bridges on the right in the drone footage was held up by stacks 12x12 wood beams at the time of the 2000's renovation. Note: what is happing here is not new. The route 95 bridges through Providence are currently being replace due to structural failures. The RT 95 bridge up river had to be replaced as well in the 2000's. Look at the Big Dig in Boston. It opened then a tunnel roof panel fell killing a driver. Faulty epoxy in the roof fastening. And of course there was the bridge section on RT 95 in Connecticut that collapsed without warning. The infrastructure in this country is crumbling.
The drone footage is a good adjunct to your commentary. Makes what you're saying a lot easier for us non-engineers to understand. This was a good presentation. Thank You.
I appreciate the drone footage and gives me greater understanding of the situation than what I am getting from our three local TV news stations. BTW - I am a native Rhode Islander. Mismanagement at RIDOT is a Rhode Island tradition, like clam chowder and summer afternoons at the beach, but just not as enjoyable. Besides the Washington Bridge debacle, less than two years ago RIDOT was investigated by the State Police and the US Dept of Justice for their role in allowing contaminated soils to be deposited next to homes in the $410 million US Route 6 / RI Route 10 interchange project three miles away. And the $69 million paid for toll gantries over state roads that were turned off when in September 2022 a Federal Court ruled them unconstitutional. I read the comment about the seemingly low traffic. At morning and afternoon rush hour there is about a 15 minute traffic jam, which to many may not seem that bad. A lot of Rhode Islanders, including myself, now avoid the area altogether if at all possible. That has resulted in local businesses being harmed and several have closed due to the loss of business. As to the demolition halt on September 17th, that reportedly had to do with collection of evidence for the lawsuit, and complaints from the neighborhood of the dust and noise. Apparently the RIDOT was allowing this to be done without the safeguards required by their own policy. Supposedly for years the bridge inspections could not be thoroughly done because all of the pigeon and seagull droppings, and that is what is in the dust wafting around the neighborhood during demolition from 9 PM to 6 AM. As of October 4th no date has been announced for resumption of bridge demolition. Rhode Island hired lawyer Max Wistow to lead the lawsuit against the 13 defendants. Max is a very, very good lawyer and I have no doubt he will be successful, though as mentioned by others the money he recovers will be reduced by RIDOT's own culpability.
Thanks very much. I agree with you. Also, whatever money the state of Rhode Island would recover from these lawsuits (if any) will no doubt be more than offset by the escalating prices associated with trying to replace this bridge. Of course, I don't think these lawsuits were ever really about money but instead was to provide political cover for these government officials.
Thanks for the ongoing reporting of this situation, I-195 is in my circle of travels, having properly demolished and reconstructed is of keen interest to many in southeastern Mass and RI. The drone footage in this and recent videos is greatly appreciated.
I live in Rhode Island . Thank You for giving us more information than we could ever get from anywhere here. I can't drive anywhere in this state for more than 15 minuets without bridge construction.
Yes, please keep it up if you can! The drone footage puts a whole new perspective on the stories you cover - Your expert evulation on the various infrastructure projects is wonderful for us non-engineers out here in TH-cam land that want to stay informed. With the pitiful condition of our roads and bridges nationwide, you should have plenty of stories to cover in the future. Thank you!
Thanks very much! This does seem to be a topic that won't lose steam anytime soon. Also, I never imagined that there would be the need to make so many videos about this Washington bridge project.
Oh I was wondering why bridge construction stopped. Thanks for the update. I live in Rhode Island so this bridge issue has been the worse thing to happen during an election year in my life. RI Traffic’s even more terrible than before.
As soon as I saw the notification I had to watch this. You always present the facts and opinions fairly and constructively. As a layman, I find these fascinating. Keep the drone footage.
Another great video, thanks. Anecdotal referance only here; I was at the other end of the totem pole of construction; I was the guy that got the ladder or set the saffolding for the consultant(s) to check for whatever they were contracted to inspect. Many professionals were hands on; they got down and dirty. But others, not so much. I think you should mention that some inspections and inspectors are better than others. Kinda like "street side" inspections for roofing code compliance. Yes, that was a thing in my construction working experience.
Get that operator to investigate the strand jack on the Claiborne Pell (Newport) Bridge please !! Eastern upright, east side and south of the road deck. The one that has been there since October 2023. You may remember me mentioning it previously. Thanks for the great videos !!
Your drone footage is very helpful in understanding the nature of this bridge. It bothers me that the officials prioritize protecting evidence over constructing a new span. I guess they’re hoping to find a smoking gun to use in their law suits, or is it motivated by various targets of the suit trying to exonerate themselves and assign blame elsewhere? Thanks for the video, and especially for that very interesting manual! Looking forward to more on this project and keep up the videos. 👍🏻💪🏻👏
Thanks for all of your great videos. I've found them to be very informative and easy to understand. I think that the drone footage is very useful in getting a complete picture of the on-going projects. Keep up the great work you do and I look forward to many more years of your efforts!
Love the drone footage. As a Rhode Isalnder, we are sick of paying high prices for mediocre work. Our roads are terrible, our taxes are high and we literally just paid for this bridge to be fixed. I believe the RIDOT and State leaders are looking to pass the buck, or to make it look like they are fighting for the taxpayers during this election year. Thank you again for the indepth look into the engineering. I've shared your video in local Facebook groups to help others understand what is actually going on.
Notice how traffic is moving. Kind of makes you wonder whether that Westbound bridge is even needed. Induced demand and road diets are a thing, after all.
The increased traffic on the east bound side is of concern. The added weight of the extra vehicles will lead to a premature failure of the east bound bridge. The state knows this and have already put weight monitoring equipment on the bridge.
@@bobcosgrove3235 Well, at this point, that's not exactly a spring chicken, either. They've been doing work on that bridge since I was a kid (good god, its been ~28 years, now). All that construction simply can NOT be good for it. The current Eastbound span opened in 2008. That's 16 years on its own. With the Westbound probably under construction for the next 10, it will be getting older (26), to the point where a rehab will be due. Then it will be time for the Westbound to get another check-up.
If you are interested in early stressed concrete structures, you would be interested to learn more about the Gladesville bridge in Sydney, Australia. Built in the early to mid sixties, it was extremely advanced for it's time- being the world's largest single span concrete arch when it was built. There is a fair bit of information online regarding it and also quite a few longer format videos on the coonstruction- which the relevant companies and governments were justifiably proud of at the time. It is one of my favourite bridges- being elegant, very advanced when built and one I have crossed thousands of times.
Looking forward to your future coverage of the infrastructure disaster left after last week's storm in the southeast US. Keep up the great work Mr Jones!
A lawyer needs to comment here. Shall , though being a weaker sounding word, actually implies something more rigorous. I have the same problem with the use of the word "may" used in documents whose real intent should read as "must".
Another important consideration is the SCOTUS Loper-Brights vs. Raimondo ending the Chevron Deference Doctrine stripping administrative bureaucrats of the power to make law.
CJ, you make the driest content facinating, it's a great skill. And, love the shirt! Edit: Yes on the drone footage. I understand your teachings better with it
The inspection is only useful if qualified people read it before throwing it up on a shelf. Also inspectors need to be supervise by the people who commissioned the inspect. We always required that any point being inspected was marked with spray paint post inspection and we could at least confirm in a walk by that an inspector at least showed up with paint. I have found on reports that inspectors noted inspection times that coincided with when I was sitting in the break room drinking coffee with them.
The past inspectors obviously didn't climb up there to inspect that as it's stated they should in the RI inspection manual for poor rated bridges. I don't understand the lawsuit. The past inspectors didn't do the work but the bridge is already rated poor and has to be replaced anyway. Are they just suing for public safety and how do you put dollars on that?
Thanks. One of the mics or computer connections sounds like it needs to be restarted or reconnected. There’s buzzing in the video audio I can hear on two different devices.
I am fairly new to bridge inspections (10 yrs- part time) at the municipality I work for in VA. As an independent city, the municipality is responsible for the inspection of its "reportable structures" (centerline spans 20-ft or greater) as defined by the FHWA NBSI criteria. The state DOT supplemented the FHWA criteria with additional requirements such as 12-month inspection of fracture critical structures v. FHWA minimum of 24-months. An interesting practical concept bridge inspection is that we can only inspect what we can see and typically touch. An example is a bridge in our jurisdiction is an old road bridge built by a railroad consisting of steel beams set edge to edge and filled with concrete in between. We are unable to inspect anything of the beams other than the outside bottom flange. IMO, One interesting item of note is that the older bridges were designed for a lower weight standard (HS-20-44 as in 1944 std) v. the increased interstate loads of today's vehicles.
@@CaseyJones-Engineer Tinnitus happens to the best of us. Check the sound in a waveform analyzer, see if you can identify the buzzing. Then you'll know where to check in the future!
You appear to have an audio buzz in your latest 2 videos. Just want to let you know what I am hearing from my end. I hear it on both my phone and computer. Keep up the great videos
RIDOT is proving the axiom that a bottom/nadir has been reached and only progress lays ahead. The situation has gotten far worse and their is now no bottom in sight. By allowing litigation to halt and delay replacement Ridot has assurred no progress or accountability will be assessed until the litigation has ended. This may take decades and any state officials will by then be retired in advance of resolution. A non engineering question has arisen for me in that from photos of failed members (pins) they do not appear to be compromised by lack of maintenance. Next if this in in fact correct what steps or inspections would have prevented the failure. Further was this failure built into the design itself and inevitable given the choice of sizes and materials used along with their placement? I expect that shortly RIDOT will have to pay the Demo firm ongoing fees to leave equipment sitting idle at jobsite plus inflation costs for delaying completion of demolition, just to re-mobilize will cost many thousands of dollars. Good luck getting any to work on this needed project, I would terminate any of my team who wasted time and efforts bidding to get work from RIDOT as from a business viewpoint RIDOT contracts seems suicidal. This public agency for what I deem are political reasons seems to be not working in the public interest. Ray
I have a relative in business who adamantly believes that many government bodies sue their contractors as a way to avoid paying some of the agreed on costs or as a way to claw back funds they’ve already paid. He’s had enough bad-faith interactions with government to now refuse to bid on government contracts. I don’t know if he’s right, because law firms are expensive too.
I'd say it depends on who and where. "Government" means about as much as "company." Local, state, or federal. Plus, where and which agency. Heck, even within the same agencies, different departments might do contracting differently. What I can say is, this. Every time I've heard of "consolidation" on the federal side, it means the contractor with the most expensive and painful product/service will be put in charge of all the systems. Often with them sub-contracting to the original contractor.
Casey if you want a nice bridge story , look up the Erskine bridge in Scotland it's really really rough to drive across it has actual waves in the deck , it was "reinforced" after the failure of the west gate bridge in Australia to the same design , but it had already been constructed , I have always expected it to fail and over the last 30 years I have seen it degrade significantly ,
The drone footage adds a lot to your work. If a picture is worth a thousand words the drone footage is invaluable. I understand that the aesthetis of the arches makes the look of the bridge more appealing to the eye. I do have to question their presence if they obstruct inspection. It would seem RIDoT should have considered removing the arches or at least providing a method for better access long before the bridge needed replacement. Bob
Heck great drone footage-amazing the resolution you get from what is probably plastic lenses- and a relatively cheap camera-No Zeiss/Nikon zillion dollar cameras required anymore. I wonder how much of the resolution is "FAKE" resolution with programing somehow enhancing the video-so clear.When I was a kid-1950's-60's it was tricky to take a good picture.
thank you for another great video!!!! it does seem suspicious to me that the demolition that has been completed is not near the area of the failure - so why stop demolition specifically under the auspices of needing to "preserve evidence" for a legal proceeding? the drone footage was a fantastic idea!! thank you!!!! the folks living a block or two away from the demolition were complaining about much more than noise: their houses were literally shaking violently. keep in mind that providence is very old. there are houses near this bridge that were built in the 1700's. i am so glad that you mentioned - again - the fact that they are considering keeping the foundations (footings or whatever the technical term is) - and that you reiterated that such a practice is basically unheard of in bridge construction. personally, that is one of my biggest concerns in this project.
I see that there are many factors involved in demolishing, don't forget that there are utilities underground that could be damaged if you tear down a section on top of them.
Reusing foundation in Europe is more often done if the new bridge weighs less. Some WW2 era filled-in arches are like 10x the mass of the pre-tension segments that replaced them.
@@CaseyJones-Engineer Also I see a lot more building before demo done in JP/EU like the video "Timelapse vervanging brug Lunterseweg" where piles are put in before the old bridge is pulled out.
@@leggysoft Great point. I think that should happen here. They could put in a parallel alignment to the exist westbound bridge and install those foundations now. Of course moving out into a new area could trigger delays from any required environmental permitting.
I am not a PE, but I do hold a Civil Engineering degree from GaTech, and I worked for a municipality for 25 years, mostly as a construction manager and construction division manager. After collaborating with a host of other municipalties and younger engineers, most have near zero understanding of the impact that contract documents and the municipality's reputation have on the cost to their customers/constituents. Bad documents with a bad reputation forces contractors to price in a lot more risk.
If I were a local (including FBI apparatchiks who now have an extended commute) I'd be looking to see who is getting a rake-off from this situation, but then I'm cynical. A short-cut might be to look closely at anyone involved who has been on when winning side of the bankruptcy laws. Taking the optimistic view, artificial intelligence will "weed-out" the "bad actors" when it has utility (ha!). Great entertainment Casey!
So when they issue the stop work order that doesn't stop the rental charges on the cranes and other equipment. How is that handled? Is RIDOT paying for the equipment rental but not for labor during the work stopage?
This whole thing is beyond belief! Anyone can sue anyone, but this seems ridiculous that the RI state AG, would have allowed the DOT to proceed with it given the language that is in the contract, where RI-DOT is ultimately responsible! Did no one at the AG office read it before saying sure we can sue? Now I can guess what they are doing, that being probably hoping that some jury or court system will hold the contractors partly responsible and some political appointed department head can say, see it wasn't me! But the ramifications of doing this, and shooting themselves in the foot, by probably not having any reputable contractors ever work for them again, is shear stupidity!
Great video Casey!! Now the state is going to have a claim by the demolition contractor for delays, mobilization/de-mob, too!! Also, what ever happened to the state's determination that an 'overloaded truck in the middle of the night' broke the bridge'?!!
Thank you! Those are great points about the extra costs. Maybe RiDOT thinks that the overloaded truck was driven by one of their engineering consultants!🤣
There is a lot of trouble making Lawsuits, that complicate matters. Not to say there is not a good reason for questions but seems that it is the preverbal to throwing a wrench into the work!
Casey, what is/was the design life span of the bridge? I recall 50 years on most concrete structures and if that is the case the bridge design and performance exceeds that. Any life after the design expectancy is a bonus for RI. At the end of the design life shouldn't any structure be subject to a complete forensic examination and a refurbishment plan be presented? This failure is a reflexion of all aging infrastructure.
A few years back RI started replacing bridges on I-295 i know specifically that the junction between I-295 and US 6's bridges were replaced in a fashion where they removed the steal beams, and then removed the exterior concrete on the abutments and pillars to expose rebar. Then they refaced the same abutments and even in some spots added extra pillars to existing supports. They then put new steal down and redecked it. Is that a normal method of construction? I would think that if you need to add a third pillar to a two pillar support maybe just start from scratch?
RIDOT needs to sue itself.
Lol
Just like Mississippi did.
@@mekanic5 Details, please?
How exactly did Mississippi pull THAT off?
The drone footage is a terrific addition.
Thank you! I was happy with how it turned out.
I like the snappy sharpness!
Absolutely. I can visualize objects and structures quite well from "only" ground level pictures, but there is simply nothing that compares to getting an bird's eye view. The Teton Pass highway collapse was one that was "eye opening" to see from above too 😉
As a commercial drone pilot I must encourage you to continue and even expand the use of drone footage. 😄
I’m watching this story because it is such a ridiculous situation re what RIDOT is doing. Who the hell would bid on building them a bridge?
Very clear what the job looks like 👍
Casey yes, the excellent drone footage adds immensely to your presentation of the issues involved your videos. From one engineer to another, keep up the good work!!
Thanks, will do!
It’s criminal what RIDOT is doing. Thank you for sharing the truth!!
Great video. Thank you. I worked for AECOM and other engineering firms for 40 years as a Commissioning Engineer. I found that the more defects I found the more I was hated. I eventually was forced to resign and retire because I refused to lower my standards. Fortunately I was well off and was fine with it. But most, if not all other CX engineers did not have a problem lowering their standards. I’m sure this is what happened on this bridge.
I agree Gerry. One of my engineering team worked you years back.
When you are the proverbial stone in the shoe, you are resented by the bean counter crew.
@@PowderMill Want to know something scary. In software, almost certainly including software for monitoring equipment you use, it's much worse. In most companies, especially large companies, putting a warning that doing xyz causes bad measurements will get someone fired. Not because of the bug, but for making it public.
There is almost never 3rd party inspection of software. All the certifications are for processes, and not actual quality.
Yes, please keep up the drone shots. I don't have to visualize the subject structure, I can actually see it. Makes for a well rounded video.
@@davidmiller6010 Sounds good, thank you!
Good work sourcing the RIDOT Bridge Inspection Manual for points of responsibility. It makes one wonder if the legal department at RIDOT has a copy for its own use. And the drone footage is very revealing to the current state of projects where you have commissioned them. I appreciate that video information, too.
Thanks very much! I will keep at it. I thought the bridge inspection manual spelled out the lines of responsibilities very well between RiDOT and their consultants. I know there are some local media outlets that follow my videos on this bridge so I would love it if they asked RiDOT about their responsibilities relative to performing inspections.
@@CaseyJones-Engineer Fair point. OTOH, I own and rent out property, and I'm ultimately responsible for it, thus liable for anything that turns out to be unsafe. But if I hire a contractor that turns out to be negligent, and somebody gets hurt as a result, I can still sue that contractor, especially since I'm paying them for expertise I don't have.
Honestly, while I want the bridge replaced ASAP, if a contractor did stuff up, then I want them held responsible. I have no idea if they did-that's for the judiciary to decide-but somebody could've been hurt, like with so many other decrepit bridges around the US. And I'd rather my taxpayer transport dollars go toward improvements and maintenance, than replacing a bridge that failed from negligence.
@@nomadMik The problem is that they sued or threatened to sue everybody who touched the bridge.
Example. Say you have work done on your rental property and then hire another company to inspect the property every year. The inspection company says to do a thorough job you're going to have to kick everyone out for a week, rent a man-lift, and pay them more. You say no. Then, ten years later, someone gets to that spot and finds a problem.
Suing the contractor a decade later is crazy. In this scenario, you essentially waived the thorough inspection and accepted the work as is. Suing the inspection company because they didn't find the issue sooner is even crazier. Except, that's what RiDOT did.
Never had any interest in your profession until I saw one of your videos. Nice and concise, informative, insightful and interesting. Now I don’t miss one
Casey, I love drone footage, especially for the civil engineering projects you cover. I think it is invaluable for understanding.
I have a brother who is a Civil Engineer who worked with bridge replacements for decades (I'm a Mechanical Engineer). He tells me that he has done a number of smaller bridges that were able to reuse the existing foundations (with perhaps some surface repairs or riprap for protection) - as they were concrete piers down to bedrock - and locking ridges were cut into the bedrock before the concrete piers were poured.
Of course, not all places have solid bedrock within 10 ft (or so) of the river bottom.
Left a crane that probably costs 30-60k a day … and probably causes another lawsuit the demolition company will file for not meeting the terms of the let contract . Would not surprise me if RIDOT will blame the lack of progress on the demolition company per the let contract .. RIDOT definitely does not comprehend claims avoidance and mitigation
Thanks for your comments. The indirect costs of RiDOT and the state of Rhode Island suing on these people will have contributed to significant cost increases and delays in getting this bridge replaced. Plus, I think their ability to actually prevail in this lawsuit may be very limited. Any judgement amount would reflect the percentage that RiDOT was to blame. That is why they have been "radio silent" about their role in this whole mess.
BTW the Madison-Milton bridge between Indiana and Kentucky reused the foundations.
My thoughts too. And the fact that they now have screwed up who knows how many more jobs down the line that the equipment and manpower from this project were set to move on to after this one was done.
Of course RIDOT understands claims mitigation.
Just research New Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge!
That contractor will be owed quite a chunk of change due to this owner-caused delay. I hope this “investment” is worthwhile to RI taxpayers…
I lived in RI for about 6 months about 12 years ago, it was so corrupt that I moved to a a different state.
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I live in RI and as a rower, rowed under the Washington bridge starting in the 1990's. They have been working on that bridge off and on for decades. The original was a four lane draw bridge. The bridge you see in the video was a renovation done in the early 2000's. Since then there seemed to be endless work on the thing. Expansion joints needed repairs etc. So why no one saw the issues that finally resulted in its closure is a mystery. In the early 2000's it was said over 90% of the road bridges in RI needed replacing. In fact one of the on ramp access bridges on the right in the drone footage was held up by stacks 12x12 wood beams at the time of the 2000's renovation. Note: what is happing here is not new. The route 95 bridges through Providence are currently being replace due to structural failures. The RT 95 bridge up river had to be replaced as well in the 2000's. Look at the Big Dig in Boston. It opened then a tunnel roof panel fell killing a driver. Faulty epoxy in the roof fastening. And of course there was the bridge section on RT 95 in Connecticut that collapsed without warning. The infrastructure in this country is crumbling.
The drone footage is a good adjunct to your commentary. Makes what you're saying a lot easier for us non-engineers to understand. This was a good presentation. Thank You.
Please continue updates on this Bridge, thanks.
I appreciate the drone footage and gives me greater understanding of the situation than what I am getting from our three local TV news stations. BTW - I am a native Rhode Islander. Mismanagement at RIDOT is a Rhode Island tradition, like clam chowder and summer afternoons at the beach, but just not as enjoyable. Besides the Washington Bridge debacle, less than two years ago RIDOT was investigated by the State Police and the US Dept of Justice for their role in allowing contaminated soils to be deposited next to homes in the $410 million US Route 6 / RI Route 10 interchange project three miles away. And the $69 million paid for toll gantries over state roads that were turned off when in September 2022 a Federal Court ruled them unconstitutional.
I read the comment about the seemingly low traffic. At morning and afternoon rush hour there is about a 15 minute traffic jam, which to many may not seem that bad. A lot of Rhode Islanders, including myself, now avoid the area altogether if at all possible. That has resulted in local businesses being harmed and several have closed due to the loss of business.
As to the demolition halt on September 17th, that reportedly had to do with collection of evidence for the lawsuit, and complaints from the neighborhood of the dust and noise. Apparently the RIDOT was allowing this to be done without the safeguards required by their own policy. Supposedly for years the bridge inspections could not be thoroughly done because all of the pigeon and seagull droppings, and that is what is in the dust wafting around the neighborhood during demolition from 9 PM to 6 AM. As of October 4th no date has been announced for resumption of bridge demolition.
Rhode Island hired lawyer Max Wistow to lead the lawsuit against the 13 defendants. Max is a very, very good lawyer and I have no doubt he will be successful, though as mentioned by others the money he recovers will be reduced by RIDOT's own culpability.
Thanks very much. I agree with you. Also, whatever money the state of Rhode Island would recover from these lawsuits (if any) will no doubt be more than offset by the escalating prices associated with trying to replace this bridge. Of course, I don't think these lawsuits were ever really about money but instead was to provide political cover for these government officials.
Thanks for the ongoing reporting of this situation, I-195 is in my circle of travels, having properly demolished and reconstructed is of keen interest to many in southeastern Mass and RI. The drone footage in this and recent videos is greatly appreciated.
Thanks Casey! Keep bringing us updates. You’re my exclusive trusted source for updates and facts on the Washington bridge which I drive once a week.
Thank you, will do!
The drone footage was a very good idea. Your channel provides truly excellent fact-based unbiased reporting on these engineering problems. Thank you!
Thank you very much!
I live in Rhode Island . Thank You for giving us more information than we could ever get from anywhere here. I can't drive anywhere in this state for more than 15 minuets without bridge construction.
Yes, keep the drone video. It helps for us none technical people to understand what you are talking about.
Yes, please keep it up if you can! The drone footage puts a whole new perspective on the stories you cover - Your expert evulation on the various infrastructure projects is wonderful for us non-engineers out here in TH-cam land that want to stay informed. With the pitiful condition of our roads and bridges nationwide, you should have plenty of stories to cover in the future. Thank you!
Thanks very much! This does seem to be a topic that won't lose steam anytime soon. Also, I never imagined that there would be the need to make so many videos about this Washington bridge project.
That ground loop is intense.
Oh I was wondering why bridge construction stopped. Thanks for the update. I live in Rhode Island so this bridge issue has been the worse thing to happen during an election year in my life. RI Traffic’s even more terrible than before.
Thanks!
Thanks very much!
As soon as I saw the notification I had to watch this. You always present the facts and opinions fairly and constructively. As a layman, I find these fascinating. Keep the drone footage.
Awesome, thank you.
Love the drone footage, A picture is worth a thousand words, well drone footage is priceless.
As other Rhode Islanders have pointed out, you are our source for expert analysis of this situation. Please continue your updates, we appreciate it !
I liked the drone footage. Nice addition to your show
Awesome thank you!
Another great video, thanks. Anecdotal referance only here; I was at the other end of the totem pole of construction; I was the guy that got the ladder or set the saffolding for the consultant(s) to check for whatever they were contracted to inspect. Many professionals were hands on; they got down and dirty. But others, not so much. I think you should mention that some inspections and inspectors are better than others.
Kinda like "street side" inspections for roofing code compliance. Yes, that was a thing in my construction working experience.
Yeah the poor sod that actually did what the manual said to do on a poor rated bridge, climbed up then found this. Wonder if he still has a job.
Get that operator to investigate the strand jack on the Claiborne Pell (Newport) Bridge please !! Eastern upright, east side and south of the road deck. The one that has been there since October 2023. You may remember me mentioning it previously.
Thanks for the great videos !!
Your drone footage is very helpful in understanding the nature of this bridge. It bothers me that the officials prioritize protecting evidence over constructing a new span. I guess they’re hoping to find a smoking gun to use in their law suits, or is it motivated by various targets of the suit trying to exonerate themselves and assign blame elsewhere?
Thanks for the video, and especially for that very interesting manual!
Looking forward to more on this project and keep up the videos. 👍🏻💪🏻👏
Thank you so much, I appreciate it!! This is an extremely interesting saga which is lead to major negative impacts to local drivers in Rhode Island.
The drone footage is appreciated.
Thank you!
The drone shots are invaluable!
I’m a bit biased. 😝
Thank you so much Casey 🙏
Thank you!
Thanks for all of your great videos. I've found them to be very informative and easy to understand. I think that the drone footage is very useful in getting a complete picture of the on-going projects. Keep up the great work you do and I look forward to many more years of your efforts!
I enjoy drone footage on your videos.
Thank you, there is more to come!
drone video definitely helped. Excellent analysis
Thank you very much for your honesty.
Thanks for the coverage.
drone footage is alway good. "a picture is worth a thousand words"
Thank you for doing this, yours is the ONLY explanation I trust, certainly not RIDOTs.
Its nice to have the drone footage as it shows what is current vs just taking some stock footage from various news/state agencies. 🤠👍
The drone footage is excellent to get a more detailed view of the situation.
Thank you!
i like the drone footage.😀 it helps with context.
Love the drone footage. As a Rhode Isalnder, we are sick of paying high prices for mediocre work. Our roads are terrible, our taxes are high and we literally just paid for this bridge to be fixed.
I believe the RIDOT and State leaders are looking to pass the buck, or to make it look like they are fighting for the taxpayers during this election year.
Thank you again for the indepth look into the engineering.
I've shared your video in local Facebook groups to help others understand what is actually going on.
Thanks so much! I will continue to do update videos.
@@CaseyJones-Engineer you're very welcome. I go under the bridge every day if you need any pictures :)
I was told by a bridge builder in the late 90’s it’s cheaper to build a new one then to rehab an old one
enviromental studies???
great drone report and report
Notice how traffic is moving.
Kind of makes you wonder whether that Westbound bridge is even needed.
Induced demand and road diets are a thing, after all.
The increased traffic on the east bound side is of concern. The added weight of the extra vehicles will lead to a premature failure of the east bound bridge. The state knows this and have already put weight monitoring equipment on the bridge.
@@bobcosgrove3235 Well, at this point, that's not exactly a spring chicken, either. They've been doing work on that bridge since I was a kid (good god, its been ~28 years, now). All that construction simply can NOT be good for it. The current Eastbound span opened in 2008. That's 16 years on its own. With the Westbound probably under construction for the next 10, it will be getting older (26), to the point where a rehab will be due. Then it will be time for the Westbound to get another check-up.
If you are interested in early stressed concrete structures, you would be interested to learn more about the Gladesville bridge in Sydney, Australia. Built in the early to mid sixties, it was extremely advanced for it's time- being the world's largest single span concrete arch when it was built.
There is a fair bit of information online regarding it and also quite a few longer format videos on the coonstruction- which the relevant companies and governments were justifiably proud of at the time.
It is one of my favourite bridges- being elegant, very advanced when built and one I have crossed thousands of times.
I liked the drone. I was able to see the triangular shape mentioned at 13:30 at 17:10
Great job on the video.....
Thank you!
Great Information 😎
Thank you!
Another excellent video, Casey - thanks for your ongoing efforts! Hey, what do you ride?
Thank you. I currently ride a 2023 Hayabusa, 2020 Katana and a 2020 Harley Roadster.
@@CaseyJones-Engineer wow, serious machinery! (2017 BMW F800GS Adventure)
@@stephenoffiler8024 Very cool!
Looking forward to your future coverage of the infrastructure disaster left after last week's storm in the southeast US.
Keep up the great work Mr Jones!
Update appreciated
Yes I like the drone video, & updates.
Great update.
One note that may be significant in any trial is the use of "shall" versus "should'.
Great point.
A lawyer needs to comment here. Shall , though being a weaker sounding word, actually implies something more rigorous. I have the same problem with the use of the word "may" used in documents whose real intent should read as "must".
Another important consideration is the SCOTUS Loper-Brights vs. Raimondo ending the Chevron Deference Doctrine stripping administrative bureaucrats of the power to make law.
Love the drone! Thank you
Thanks for watching!
I really like the drone footage.
Excellent episode as always..and it’s raises another engineering question.. Which State has the most LawSuits per mile of Roadway ..?
Very interesting!
Thank you!
CJ, you make the driest content facinating, it's a great skill.
And, love the shirt!
Edit: Yes on the drone footage. I understand your teachings better with it
Thanks Josef!
The inspection is only useful if qualified people read it before throwing it up on a shelf. Also inspectors need to be supervise by the people who commissioned the inspect. We always required that any point being inspected was marked with spray paint post inspection and we could at least confirm in a walk by that an inspector at least showed up with paint. I have found on reports that inspectors noted inspection times that coincided with when I was sitting in the break room drinking coffee with them.
The past inspectors obviously didn't climb up there to inspect that as it's stated they should in the RI inspection manual for poor rated bridges. I don't understand the lawsuit. The past inspectors didn't do the work but the bridge is already rated poor and has to be replaced anyway. Are they just suing for public safety and how do you put dollars on that?
Thanks. One of the mics or computer connections sounds like it needs to be restarted or reconnected. There’s buzzing in the video audio I can hear on two different devices.
Yes I'm going to have to troubleshoot that. I didn't hear it because I've got tinnitus.
I am fairly new to bridge inspections (10 yrs- part time) at the municipality I work for in VA. As an independent city, the municipality is responsible for the inspection of its "reportable structures" (centerline spans 20-ft or greater) as defined by the FHWA NBSI criteria. The state DOT supplemented the FHWA criteria with additional requirements such as 12-month inspection of fracture critical structures v. FHWA minimum of 24-months.
An interesting practical concept bridge inspection is that we can only inspect what we can see and typically touch. An example is a bridge in our jurisdiction is an old road bridge built by a railroad consisting of steel beams set edge to edge and filled with concrete in between. We are unable to inspect anything of the beams other than the outside bottom flange.
IMO, One interesting item of note is that the older bridges were designed for a lower weight standard (HS-20-44 as in 1944 std) v. the increased interstate loads of today's vehicles.
You've got a high pitch buzz in this audio. I usually wear headphones, I don't hear it from any other videos.
Thanks for letting me know. I'm not sure what happened. I have a bad case of tinnitus so I didn't realize it.
@@CaseyJones-Engineer Tinnitus happens to the best of us. Check the sound in a waveform analyzer, see if you can identify the buzzing. Then you'll know where to check in the future!
loved the video
Thank you!
Drone footage is unique and critical.
Thank you!
Casey the drone footage really helps visualize the work being done. BTW your shirt is upside down! 1up N 23456 DOWN! (Racing) LOL
Thank you!🤣
Great content, well explained.
And a COOL shirt, too. 👏😎
Thank you!
You appear to have an audio buzz in your latest 2 videos. Just want to let you know what I am hearing from my end. I hear it on both my phone and computer. Keep up the great videos
RIDOT is proving the axiom that a bottom/nadir has been reached and only progress lays ahead. The situation has gotten far worse and their is now no bottom in sight. By allowing litigation to halt and delay replacement Ridot has assurred no progress or accountability will be assessed until the litigation has ended. This may take decades and any state officials will by then be retired in advance of resolution. A non engineering question has arisen for me in that from photos of failed members (pins) they do not appear to be compromised by lack of maintenance. Next if this in in fact correct what steps or inspections would have prevented the failure. Further was this failure built into the design itself and inevitable given the choice of sizes and materials used along with their placement? I expect that shortly RIDOT will have to pay the Demo firm ongoing fees to leave equipment sitting idle at jobsite plus inflation costs for delaying completion of demolition, just to re-mobilize will cost many thousands of dollars. Good luck getting any to work on this needed project, I would terminate any of my team who wasted time and efforts bidding to get work from RIDOT as from a business viewpoint RIDOT contracts seems suicidal. This public agency for what I deem are political reasons seems to be not working in the public interest. Ray
I have a relative in business who adamantly believes that many government bodies sue their contractors as a way to avoid paying some of the agreed on costs or as a way to claw back funds they’ve already paid. He’s had enough bad-faith interactions with government to now refuse to bid on government contracts. I don’t know if he’s right, because law firms are expensive too.
I'd say it depends on who and where. "Government" means about as much as "company." Local, state, or federal. Plus, where and which agency. Heck, even within the same agencies, different departments might do contracting differently.
What I can say is, this. Every time I've heard of "consolidation" on the federal side, it means the contractor with the most expensive and painful product/service will be put in charge of all the systems. Often with them sub-contracting to the original contractor.
Casey if you want a nice bridge story , look up the Erskine bridge in Scotland it's really really rough to drive across it has actual waves in the deck , it was "reinforced" after the failure of the west gate bridge in Australia to the same design , but it had already been constructed , I have always expected it to fail and over the last 30 years I have seen it degrade significantly ,
The drone footage adds a lot to your work. If a picture is worth a thousand words the drone footage is invaluable.
I understand that the aesthetis of the arches makes the look of the bridge more appealing to the eye. I do have to question their presence if they obstruct inspection. It would seem RIDoT should have considered removing the arches or at least providing a method for better access long before the bridge needed replacement.
Bob
Heck great drone footage-amazing the resolution you get from what is probably plastic lenses- and a relatively cheap camera-No Zeiss/Nikon zillion dollar cameras required anymore.
I wonder how much of the resolution is "FAKE" resolution with programing somehow enhancing the video-so clear.When I was a kid-1950's-60's it was tricky to take a good picture.
great drone fottage
+++ on the drone footage. Use the highest resolution camera, perhaps with zoom, as needed to get close/crisp pix!!
Dorne footage is always welcome.
thank you for another great video!!!! it does seem suspicious to me that the demolition that has been completed is not near the area of the failure - so why stop demolition specifically under the auspices of needing to "preserve evidence" for a legal proceeding?
the drone footage was a fantastic idea!! thank you!!!!
the folks living a block or two away from the demolition were complaining about much more than noise: their houses were literally shaking violently. keep in mind that providence is very old. there are houses near this bridge that were built in the 1700's.
i am so glad that you mentioned - again - the fact that they are considering keeping the foundations (footings or whatever the technical term is) - and that you reiterated that such a practice is basically unheard of in bridge construction. personally, that is one of my biggest concerns in this project.
ALL ABOUT faulty inspections and inspection reports!!
I see that there are many factors involved in demolishing, don't forget that there are utilities underground that could be damaged if you tear down a section on top of them.
What is the increased traffic load doing to the East bound Washington Bridge? How is that holding up?
Love the shirt!
Thanks!
There is also some superfund sites in that area
Reusing foundation in Europe is more often done if the new bridge weighs less. Some WW2 era filled-in arches are like 10x the mass of the pre-tension segments that replaced them.
Interesting!
@@CaseyJones-Engineer Also I see a lot more building before demo done in JP/EU like the video "Timelapse vervanging brug Lunterseweg" where piles are put in before the old bridge is pulled out.
@@leggysoft Great point. I think that should happen here. They could put in a parallel alignment to the exist westbound bridge and install those foundations now. Of course moving out into a new area could trigger delays from any required environmental permitting.
I am not a PE, but I do hold a Civil Engineering degree from GaTech, and I worked for a municipality for 25 years, mostly as a construction manager and construction division manager. After collaborating with a host of other municipalties and younger engineers, most have near zero understanding of the impact that contract documents and the municipality's reputation have on the cost to their customers/constituents. Bad documents with a bad reputation forces contractors to price in a lot more risk.
If I were a local (including FBI apparatchiks who now have an extended commute) I'd be looking to see who is getting a rake-off from this situation, but then I'm cynical. A short-cut might be to look closely at anyone involved who has been on when winning side of the bankruptcy laws. Taking the optimistic view, artificial intelligence will "weed-out" the "bad actors" when it has utility (ha!). Great entertainment Casey!
So when they issue the stop work order that doesn't stop the rental charges on the cranes and other equipment. How is that handled? Is RIDOT paying for the equipment rental but not for labor during the work stopage?
I don't understand the problem.. What contractor wouldn't want to work for a highly litigious entity?
This whole thing is beyond belief! Anyone can sue anyone, but this seems ridiculous that the RI state AG, would have allowed the DOT to proceed with it given the language that is in the contract, where RI-DOT is ultimately responsible! Did no one at the AG office read it before saying sure we can sue? Now I can guess what they are doing, that being probably hoping that some jury or court system will hold the contractors partly responsible and some political appointed department head can say, see it wasn't me! But the ramifications of doing this, and shooting themselves in the foot, by probably not having any reputable contractors ever work for them again, is shear stupidity!
Well said! RiDOT and the state of Rhode Island are putting on a clinic for "what not to do" when administering bridge projects.
Great video Casey!! Now the state is going to have a claim by the demolition contractor for delays, mobilization/de-mob, too!! Also, what ever happened to the state's determination that an 'overloaded truck in the middle of the night' broke the bridge'?!!
Thank you! Those are great points about the extra costs. Maybe RiDOT thinks that the overloaded truck was driven by one of their engineering consultants!🤣
@@CaseyJones-Engineer LOL!!!
There is a lot of trouble making Lawsuits, that complicate matters. Not to say there is not a good reason for questions but seems that it is the preverbal to throwing a wrench into the work!
There doesn’t seem to be too much traffic on the bridge. I’m not sure that RIDOT even needs to replace it
I am pretty sure there is way more traffic during rush hour.
Very good report. Too bad the RIDOT chooses to keep things hidden from the public. It makes me wonder why.
Curious why they have to work at night. Do they have to use the existing open lanes for some reason?
You must have bought an expresso machine. You are dropping back-to-back videos.
Casey, what is/was the design life span of the bridge? I recall 50 years on most concrete structures and if that is the case the bridge design and performance exceeds that. Any life after the design expectancy is a bonus for RI. At the end of the design life shouldn't any structure be subject to a complete forensic examination and a refurbishment plan be presented? This failure is a reflexion of all aging infrastructure.
A few years back RI started replacing bridges on I-295 i know specifically that the junction between I-295 and US 6's bridges were replaced in a fashion where they removed the steal beams, and then removed the exterior concrete on the abutments and pillars to expose rebar. Then they refaced the same abutments and even in some spots added extra pillars to existing supports. They then put new steal down and redecked it. Is that a normal method of construction? I would think that if you need to add a third pillar to a two pillar support maybe just start from scratch?