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Fri. March 23, 2007, 10:32am PDT
Narrows Bridge part stuck at ID/WA border
SayWA (to steal a surprised expression from Erik Emery)? A wee, not-so-wee, but friggin' huge piece of the new Tacoma Narrows bridge is being held up at the Idaho-Washington border. The truck carrying this expansion joint is mighty impressive (maybe even stand-on-an-overpass-and-wave impressive) with its 84 wheels, half a football field length, and 330,000 pound weigh-in. Supposedly the weight per axle is too great for our potholed precious Washington roads. My favorite quote from the article in today's News Tribune comes from the owner of the Texas-based trucking company moving this huge piece:
"What I've told them is, 'We'll do this anyway we can.' If it's impossible, then it's real easy: Y'all can build the bridge in Idaho."
3/23 - A heavy headache for bridge, TNT
3/20 - Bridge delayed because of weight concern, TNT
An Aside...
Holding up the piece could, by some conspiracy theorists' thinking out there, be an interesting tactic to add cash to the state's coffers. Since the construction company building the bridge is fined for every day they're behind schedule, this is an easy way to keep pushing it back. How's this for an idea: make an exception. Weigh (so to speak) the importance of completion of the massive and expensive Narrows Bridge project against the possible damage to any asphalt between here and the ID-WA border. My guess is the bridge wins. Or compare the annual damage done by paranoid drivers with studded tires with what this truck might do. Sorry, that's a whole different rant entirely. ;)
Comments (3) | To Top
3/23/2007 @ 11:22am
How would anyone know if there was damage in the asphalt between Washington and Idaho? LOL!
by TheDamnMushroom
3/23/2007 @ 12:41pm
What asphalt?
by Rod
3/24/2007 @ 1:44am
Additional thought, less sarcastic: The pieces were made in Minnesota, if I heard the news correctly, and travelled through *five* states without any complaints.
I mean, I can understand the WA DOT being concerned about the bridge on 410 at Vantage and the last mile of going across the Narrows Bridge to get to Gig Harbor. But still...
by TheDamnMushroom