In light of preliminary bridge inspection findings on the Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart, the Florida DOT (FDOT) has called for a proactive review of segmental bridge inspection procedures statewide.
As part of this ongoing review, FDOT is examining inspection findings as well as FDOT laboratory test results and partnering with the Federal Highway Administration, universities, and transportation peers nationwide to develop recommendations to be utilized for inspections going forward. The review will be completed as quickly as possible and recommendations will be shared as soon as they are available.
When constructed, FDOT says segmental bridges are built in smaller sections, rather than large spans of bridge. Currently, there are more than 12,400 bridges in the state of Florida, and of those, less than 100 are segmental bridges.
The announcement of the procedural review comes as FDOT announced the latest updates on the Roosevelt Bridge and the reopening of Dixie Highway. FDOT says the bridge remains open to four lanes of traffic and law enforcement remains on scene to enforce a five-ton weight restriction on the Roosevelt Bridge.
Testing and inspections continue on the southbound bridge, and FDOT says a timeline for its reopening will be released as soon as it is determined.
The roadway was scheduled to reopen on Friday, July 3.
FDOT efforts also include sending samples to the FDOT laboratory in Gainesville to analyze the bridge materials and assist in identifying the cause of the issues. The department is also monitoring the traffic and compiling recommendations to improve traffic flow.
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SOURCE: Florida DOT
