Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media, file photo. If it had happened during rush hour, or any time during the day as it easily could have the toll would have been far worse. Thirty-six years ago on June 28, 1983 shortly after 2 a.m. a 100 foot long section of the Connecticut Turnpike fell 65 feet to the Mianus River, killing three people and critically injuring. Location The Mianus bridge supported the six-lane Interstate 95 where it crossed the Mianus River near Greenwich, Connecticut. The disaster put a spotlight on Connecticut's neglected bridge maintenance when federal investigators found the state had delayed critical repairs to the rusted superstructure of the bridge because of a lack of funding. Lawmakers have consistently raided the STF to cover deficits and other needs, and more fuel efficient cars have significantly reduced gas tax receipts, the primary source of revenue. 1983 June 28, eastbound Mianus River Bridge Span Collapse, I-95 (September 2009) Antiquity to the Middle Ages Year Structure Location Type Casualties 226 BC Colossus of Rhodes Collapse City of Rhodes . Note tolls in background. Greenwich police were stretched to the limit as they tried to keep the traffic moving and pedestrians safe. River Bridge The Special Police Division donated over 750 hours in July and August to help. It flows from two small headways in the Alps of east-central Switzerland north and west to the North Sea, into which it drains . I remember watching it on television. 1 wealth manager Jeff Erdmann and fashion icon Stuart Weitzman, creator of the million-dollar shoe, Blumenthal: Congress was misinformed on control of TikTok data, State housing permits at highest level in 15 years in 2022, CT electric consumers to see lower rates starting Saturday, Haar: New federal agency to regulate AI? Three people were killed when the pin and hanger system on the north end of the bridge failed. Click here to help support 06880 via credit card or PayPal. This ignited a fire that collapsed the northbound lanes and damaged the southbound lanes, according to The Associated Press. One bright spot in all of this is that technology and engineering knowledge have advanced considerably, allowing the state to put off repairs to bridges that aren't an immediate risk to public safety, Department of Transportation spokesman Kevin Nursick said. I-95 is either constantly in bumper-to-bumper conditions because of traffic or and I can hear this at night there are people out there speeding, just in incredible road races in the middle of the night and thats not safe especially if youre driving through a work zone area, Cameron said. The General Assembly, after years of trying, this year passed a lockbox on the STF thats designed to prevent diversions from the fund. At the time I did hear the story about the driver who stopped, and I recall hearing that one of the cars that ended up in the river was a BMW, but cant verify. The system is currently in use on several Connecticut bridges. He is In this clip from Engineering Disasters learn about the Mianus River Bridge collapse. Roundup: Parker Harding Petition, Chris Paul & Lindsay Czarniak, Verso Vinyl , School Bus Parking: Theyll Park At Schools, School Redistricting: Scarice Advises Unrushed Timetable, 06880 Podcast: Jen Tooker, Foti Koskinas And Ukraine, Roundup: Fireworks Traffic, David Pogue & Titan , Photography in my Life (Katherine Hooper). "We evaluated the eventual introduction of better mileage and hybrids and the need to identify new sources of revenue," said Oz Greibel, the chairman of the group. Also, bridges engineered like the Mianus River Bridge with its "pin and hanger" were modified to prevent future collapses and new ones of that type banned. The state is responsible to inspect around 4,000 state-owned bridges, along with about 1,000 municipal bridges that are longer than 20 feet. This paving allowed water, silt, and dirt to drop directly onto the hanger assembly and accelerate corrosion. On June 11, a truck driver that was hauling gasoline lost control on an I-95 off-ramp and flipped on its side. 1983 Columnist John Breunig shares life lessons from No. That would be directed to ruby. He did not want to post it, because its hearsay but when I told him Id heard the same story, he told me to go ahead: Dan, I remember hearing a story about that night. The state has collected billions from these taxes. Remembering the Mianus River bridge collapse - CTPost The General Assembly, after years of trying, this year passed a lockbox on the STF thats designed to prevent diversions from the fund. It was one of the most infamous American bridge disasters of the 20th century. It is the second bridge on the site. After the event and until repairs could be implemented, the 80,000 to 90,000 vehicles that used I-95 on a daily basis were diverted to local streets. Then and now: I-95s Mianus River Bridge collapse, Greenwich school superintendent contract extended by one year, JuJu Cantina part of latest Old Greenwich retail turnover, Mianus River Bridge Collapse - July 17, 1983 - Photo/Marilyn A. Hogarty b/w. People were shocked to discover that the 25-year-old bridge had passed a routine Department of Transportation (DOT) inspection only nine months before. NORWALK, Conn. -- The Mianus River bridge had a 'fatal flaw' that doomed the highway span, the state argued Tuesday, but its designer blamed poor maintenance for the collapse in 1983 that killed . Greenwich First Selectman Rebbecca Breed nex to him. Lawmakers have consistently raided the STF to cover deficits and other needs, and more fuel efficient cars have significantly reduced gas tax receipts, the primary source of revenue. Blumenthal readies plan, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). "We tend to fix things with Band-Aids rather than repairing them the right way, and we don't want when all is said in done for something terrible to happen and to ask, `Why didn't we do it the right way?' 73% of the road or either in poor or mediocre condition. a veteran journalist who first joined the Connecticut Post in 1989 as a town reporter. With the combination of age, heavy use, and harsh weather the bridge was not up to its job but the real cause of the disaster was because of bad bridge maintenance. One unnamed hero, a man journeying home to Atlanta with his wife, had, upon spotting the collapse, exited his car and waved traffic to a stop. Gov. William A. O'Neill and state officials created the Special Transportation Fund to set aside money to maintain and repair the state's bridges. scienceNOW | Smart Bridges: Why They Failed (non-Flash) - PBS "The recommendations made some people irate.". Mianus River Bridge Collapse photo credit: Hank Morgan / Time Life Pictures / Getty accesed from the Time photo gallery here. Federal funding for repairing and maintaining interstate highways is facing a similar problem. Two cars and two tractor . I recall the story of the boater who motored up the river that afternoon. Two cars and two. June 28: The Mianus River Bridge Disaster on I-95 - Today in "My biggest question is why the state would continue to spend so much money on speculative projects when we can't even make sure what we have is safe," Lavielle said. Ordinary citizens stepped forward that night. But at 1:28 A.M. that Tuesday, June 28 - as the Toyota passed over boats in a marina and then over the Mianus River itself - part of the turnpike bridge suddenly collapsed. The Mianus River bridge, which was built in 1958, carries 100,000 vehicles daily. Three people were killed and three injured. 2023 Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC, Stamford gets $26M grant for 20 electric buses, transit upgrades, Stamford Health overhauls its neonatal intensive care unit, Stamford city reps, Charter Revision Commission clash, See which Stamford students earned scholarships totaling $100K+, Stamford student earns first-ever Quinnipiac nursing scholarship. The day before the 36th anniversary of the I-95 Mianus bridge collapse in Greenwich, State Police are pausing to remember the day. In 1928 the condition of the old wooden bridge was so bad that there was a danger of collapse. It's just a reminder that if it happens anywhere, it can happen here and it certainly did happen here in our backyard. Connecticut Rail Commuter Council Chairman Jim Cameron said failing to designate all of the petroleum receipts tax to transportation needs over the past decade was in some sense a betrayal of the drivers who paid the tax expecting it would be used for infrastructure. But frequently the fund is not used for bridge maintenance and repair. The driver, Nathaniel Moody, 53, died in the accident and authorities said he was heading north to deliver fuel to a convenience store when he lost control, The AP reported. He is State Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, said Malloy's decision to back spending $112 million to build the New Britain-Hartford busway, and to a lesser extent the $880 million New Haven-Hartford-Springfield line, are both questionable investments when weighed against the state's other maintenance and upgrade needs, especially for the Metro-North New Haven Line. 1. Bridge collapse on I-95. COLUMBUS, Mont. I thought we needed to include full names when making a comment. On July 1, 1984, the General Assembly created the Special Transportation Fund, which was dedicated to maintaining and improving the states transportation system. In the butterflys wings version of long term consequences, the collapse of the Mianus River Bridge brought us a state income tax and the decline of our state into its present fiscal dumpster. A 100-foot-long section of the Interstate 95 bridge spanning the Mianus River in Greenwich, CT, collapsed June 29, 1983. All Rights Reserved. The investigation team arrived the day after the collapse. Main article: Structural integrity and failure This is a list of structural failures and collapses, including bridges, dams, and radio masts/towers. State Police guard accident site. Add up the pluses and minuses, and transportation loses $60 million in the new fiscal year the value of Mondays gasoline tax hike. Stamford and Greenwich Marine Police and the Coast Guard were called; Greenwich firefighters and the Cos Cob firehouse ambulance responded; Greenwich police blocked off the turnpike; the National Guard came with helicopters. Mianus River Bridge Collapses - Today in History: June 28 Mianus River Bridge | Failure Case Studies In foreground is part of the tractor trailer truck that fell. Collapsed At about 1:30 a.m., on June 28, 1983, a 100-foot span of Interstate 95 in Greenwich collapsed into the Mian Photograph by Bob Child - 2012 The Associated Press Not long after midnight on June 28, 1983, a section of the Mianus River Bridge on I-95 in Cos Cob collapsed. The governor and legislature responded with the country's first comprehensive infrastructure renewal program for roads and bridges, and these have subsequently been considerably improved. Three people were killed and three were. June 29, 1983 Greenwich Time file photo of the wreckage from the collapse of the Mianus Bridge. The poor condition of the states roads and bridges continues to be an issue. All bridges under our authority are inspected at least once every two years, and those inspections cover every portion, ever inch, every nuance of the structure in extraordinary detail, Nursick said. It does bother me and I dont know if we are where we should be.. Lessons of Mianus River Bridge collapse not yet learned - CTPost ", "I called the maintenance people in March, and so did my neighbors,"Gilman said back in 1983. Kevin Nursick, a spokesman with the state Department of Transportation, said engineering used in the bridge is not allowed today. "Any lessons to be learned are always to fund and maintain the routine maintenance checks. A bridge that crosses the Yellowstone River in Montana collapsed early on Saturday, plunging portions of a freight train carrying hazardous materials into the rushing water below.. The Tariffville Disaster Today in History: January 15, Learning about the Lusitania: How Hartford Heard the News, An Orderly & Decent Government: Searching for the Common Good, 1965-Now, The Hartford Circus Fire Today in History: July 6, Danbury Hangings: The Executions of Anthony and Amos, Clare Boothe Luce Changed Perceptions about Women in Business and Politics, Frozen Reservoir Destroys Danbury Today in History: January 31, Video When Disaster Struck: King Blizzard. Within seconds, two tractor-trailer trucks and two passenger cars plunged into the river. Today it's more like 130,000 to 200,000. said the deficient bridges do not compromise public safety immediately. Between 80,000 and 100,000 travelers passed over the Mianus Bridge daily. He has served as a bureau chief, manned the Capitol Bureau, covered Bridgeport City Hall and has since become a statewide investigative reporter. Three people died in the tragedy, with another three injured (far more would have been at risk had the collapse occurred during the day rather than very early in the morning). When ToniBoucher, former state senator and co-chairwoman of the General Assembly's Transportation Committee, heard about the collapse of part of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia earlier this week, she said it "absolutely" reminded her about what happened inCos Cob, almost exactly four decades earlier. He has served as a bureau chief, manned the Capitol Bureau, covered Bridgeport City Hall and has since become a statewide investigative reporter. 25 Jun 2023 04:45:02 In foreground is part of the tractor trailer truck that fell. Ten years before the collapse, storm drains on the bridge were paved over during a resurfacing project, leading to corrosion of the bridge. DOT now has a vigorous inspection program designed to detect safety concerns, Nursick said, adding progress has been made replacing bridges. As a result of two corroded pin-and-hanger assemblies, a 100-foot section of the Mianus River Bridge collapsed into the waterway shortly after midnight on June 28, 1983. Governor Malloy raided the transportation fund to help close his huge budget gap. FILE PHOTOS Gov. Photograph by Bob Child - 2012 The Associated Press. Freight train carrying hot asphalt, molten sulfur plunges into Accidents - Bridge collapse - Piece of the Connecticut Turnpike bridge, which fell into the Mianus River reassembled for the investigation. TOM ONDREY / HEARST CONNECTICUT MEDIA FILE PHOTO The June 28, 1983, catastrophe forever changed the way the state inspected, funded and repaired its bridges and roads, and the way officials planned for future infrastructure needs. " Guerrera said. Mianus River Bridge collapse - YouTube But it also cancels another $151 million transfer to transportation and shifts an additional $91 million from this program into the General Fund. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The accident happened at 1:30 a.m., or more people might have been killed or hurt. On June 28, 1983, twenty-five years ago tomorrow, a section of the northbound side of an I-95 bridge spanning Connecticut's Mianus River collapsed. In light of these competing needs for upkeep of infrastructure, Malloy's decisions on how to spend the remaining money in the Special Transportation Fund, along with his decision to continue diverting funds out of it until the new law takes effect, have been questioned by some. At 2am, he sat bolt upright in bed, realizing (as a mechanical or structural engineer) that it was the sound of metal reaching its breaking point. All bridges under our authority are inspected at least once every two years, and those inspections cover every portion, ever inch, every nuance of the structure in extraordinary detail, Nursick said. It is imperative that the State move to repair these bridges now before another tragedy happens. 1983: Mianus River Bridge Collapse - YouTube This is particularly important because more than 100,000 people a day drive over these bridges. The Department of Health of the Town of Greenwich monitored the environmental impact closely, providing advice and counsel through the issuance of special bulletins to residents along the temporary routes. These include poor engineering judgment, use of substandard materials, extreme loading, and inadequate maintenance. Our lawmakers tend to lurch from crisis to crisis and nothing gets seriously addressed until there is a catastrophe, Cameron said. July 2, 1983 Photo/Tom Ryan b/w, Mianus River Bridge Collapse June 27(? It is in the Darien State Highway garage area behind the Howard-Johnsons along side the vehicle emissions testing site. It was one of the most infamous American bridge disasters of the 20th century. FILE PHOTO 6/29/83 - Gov. I-95 collapse in Philadelphia echoes Mianus River Bridge disaster Tied with Illinois. 2023 Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC, Greenwich choristers win music award, other celebrations, Glenville dog park plans on pause as neighbors outline problems, Greenwich running climate survey, and other neighborhood notes, Proposed Glenville apartment criticized by neighbors, P&Z, Greenwich OKs $100K settlement to wrongly arrested NY man, Bridge in Greenwich: Playing for one trick from a weak hand, Old Greenwich will be new home to contemporary art gallery, 19-year-old arrested in violent March robbery, Greenwich cops say, Old Greenwich bank-turned-Mexican restaurant JuJu Cantina is part of newest Sound Beach retail turnover, Greenwich's yearlong Binney Park bridge replacement project starts in July; prepare for detours, Dan Haar: A Titan submersible customer from CT recounts red flags and a dispute over money, CT man wins nearly $600,000 at Harrah's in Atlantic City, Turning Greenwich home into an apartment building criticized for 'disjointed' design, increased traffic, Hot Air Balloon Flights on the Farm comes to Lyman Orchards in July, Greenwich school board extends superintendent's contract by only one year despite 'excellent strides'.
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