Collapsed bridge rated 'poor' in 2021 inspection, Mayor 'misstated' condition Wednesday
Collapsed bridge rated ‘poor’ in 2021 inspection, Mayor ‘misstated’ condition Wednesday
The pedestrian bridge that collapsed Wednesday received a ‘poor' rating following a February 2021 inspection. The mayor's office says they "misstated" the condition of the bridge when FOX 5 questioned its structural integrity.
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - The pedestrian bridge that collapsed Wednesday received a ‘poor' rating following a February 2021 inspection. The mayor's office says they "misstated" the condition of the bridge when FOX 5 questioned its structural integrity.
"During today's initial readout to the media, we misstated the condition of Bridge 66," Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Chris Geldart said in a statement Wednesday.
Bridge 66 collapsed around 12 p.m. along D.C. 295 just prior to Polk Street. Six people were assessed and four people were transported with injuries, and traffic was snarled for hours in DC and beyond.
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The bridge was inspected in April 2019 and then more recently in 2021.
In 2019, the bridge was rated at a 5 on a scale of 0 to 9, which is ‘fair.’ In 2021, the February inspection led to a rating of 4, which is ‘poor' condition. This rating prompted a multi-year planning process to replace the structure.
According to a press release issued by the DC Department of Transportation on May 27, the pedestrian bridge over Kenilworth Avenue at Lane Place NE would undergo "preservation and repair activities" from May 27 through June 18.
The DC Department of Transportation hasn't said yet if the project was completed or if this played any role in the collapse.
Officials say the prevailing theory is that a truck hit the bridge and that is what brought it down.
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There may also be issues with the company that owns the truck officials say may have hit the bridge. According to U.S. Department of Transportation records, the truck's DOT number, which is required of certain commercial vehicles, is inactive.
An employee who answered the phone at Frank's Scrap Metal in Silver Spring would not give a statement but did tell FOX 5 the driver is ok.
The Mayor's office says the Metropolitan Police Department will continue to lead the crash investigation and DDOT is making progress on the removal of debris from the interstate.