Louisville: Ohio River bridge closed indefinitely due to structural crack

[Bake]

The Sherman Minton Bridge was ordered to be closed Friday after a structural crack was found on the bridge, according to a statement from Gov. Mitch Daniels' office.It will remain closed indefinitely pending further notice, the statement said.


http://www.courier-journal.com/

Looks like we need some of that infrastructure spending here ... The S-M is one of the major bridges across the Ohio River connecting Louisville and Southern Indiana.

Bake

[madrchsod]

1. wow that is a major bridge!

looks like kentucky won`t be turning down any transportation funds...i bet this is going to just the start of bad bridges east of missouri river.

[Contrary1]

2. Wonder if Rand will be asking for some Fed money to fix it...

Oh, what the hell? Just blow it up and be done with it. Can't spend less and give out tax cuts, if they're gonna be repairing every dangerous bridge.

[kestrel91316]

3. I'm sure the free market can fix it posthaste.

[saras]

6. The free market already fixed it. Ever hear of corporate jets?

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. I am sure they will deliver your food too

[saras]

13. Not mine, or yours, but theirs.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Their jet lands at private strip?

Nope, they still need to drive 'very them roads and yes, bridges.

[saras]

16. You'd be surprised at how little infrastructure the Third World gets by with

And their ultra-rich live in the same luxury they do here. Where's your All-American sense of "can-do"?

[LonePirate]

4. Who are the House Reps on both sides of the bridge since both IN and KY have 2 R Senators

[Bake]

7. Louisville has John Yarmuth (D)

Don't know about southern IN.

Bake

[Contrary1]

5. I was incorrect in my earlier post...this is Indiana's baby.

Maybe Mitch Daniels can sell the bridge to another country before they hear about the structural problems.

It's worked out so well selling the Indiana Toll Road and all.

"...In a statement, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear promised to help Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and ensure public safety until the bridge can be inspected more thoroughly.

“I have directed the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to send a team of our state’s bridge inspectors, engineers, and consultants to help evaluate the situation as quickly as possible and assist the state of Indiana and the Federal Highway Administration,” says Beshear. “These evaluations will begin immediately and will be coordinated with the Indiana Department of Transportation. Our highest priority is confidence that the public’s safety is assured.”

The double-deck configuration was built in 1962 and is an interstate, however, a long-standing agreement gives Indiana responsibility for inspecting and maintaining the bridge."

http://www.wfpl.org/2011/09/09/beshear-promises-assistance-to-evaluate-sherman-minton-bridge/

[bullwinkle428]

12. Oy - don't get me started on the Indiana Toll Road!

[SoCalDem]

17. Yep, call Spain..

A least I think it was a Spanish consortium that bought the Indiana toll road system.

Years back, toll roads were meant to pay off the road, so that eventually it would be owned by the people who paid it off one toll at a time.. Now they collect tolls and when the road starts to age a bit, they sell it off..after they have pocketed all that money along the way.

[madmom]

9. and so it begins...at least no one was hurt on this one.

[GeorgeGist]

10. When the Private Infrastructure Bank ...

takes over, Mitch Daniels will be irrelevant.

[TheKentuckian]

11. I'm a totally bummed out yet, mushroom cloud laying motherfucker on this one.

[era veteran]

15. Not even the Ohio River Bridge the President mentioned in

his speech.