don't worry. they will fix'em when they break. one thing at a time
- Thread starter chico bill
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Cangrejo bridge closed due to major structural failure.
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Drove the bypass/detour this morning to PP. 1/2 hour at 8:30 - mostly because we were following a very large truck that couldn't seem to navigate the tight sections with 2-way traffic. We were stopped at one time for at least 15 minutes.
Now the good news : returned this afternoon and we were 8 minutes total time. It takes at least 5 minutes under normal conditions.
Now the good news : returned this afternoon and we were 8 minutes total time. It takes at least 5 minutes under normal conditions.
Hola JJ,
I hope all is well. Any update? Doesn't seem to have opened yet.
Hope you doing ok.
This is my source of News in Sosua.
He is an activist in the area.
JJ
This is my source of News in Sosua.
He is an activist in the area.
JJ
Yeah well, your source was wrong. Or maybe it's going to happen "tomorrow" until it actually happens.
Once the bridge opens I hope the bipasss is better controlled because a backup will spill out onto highway 5 on the Westbound lanes and then every taxi mini bus and everyone driving a Sonata, 4-runner and CRV will pull out into Eastbound lanes trying to be quicker to the bridge. It likely won't backup coming from the Puerto Plata side.
Chico. One weld plate looks strange to me. I noticed six areas in one weld plate where it appears holes were drilled and then used to tack weld the plate to the girder. Makes me think the original intent was to bolt and weld the plate to the girder. Wish I hadn’t seen that. Every time I drive across the bridge it will be in the back of my mind. I also wonder about the tensile strength of that old girder section after being subjected to welding heat over such a wide area.
Yes I saw that and it looks like spot welds behind the plate.
You never want to penetrate a web of a WF beam near areas of maximum moment stresses. In this case since it is welded around and a vertical member there won't be an moment issue, nor should excess heat be an issue on such thick steel.
Hopefully if they did make holes in the column they used a mag drill and not a torch. The burn marks could also be that the plate came off something else and the marks were from burning off other attachments from a prior to installation ?
Most of the other mechanical joints are the bridge are riveted
You can also see that the patch plates were cut off a plate or other piece of steel with a torch. Seems strange they wouldn't have measured what they needed and brought them pre-cut from a fab-shop
This is typical welded steel work for a quick fix. They actually do WF splices with bolted connections also.
Have no fear this bridge will be stronger than the last time you drove over it and a SUV or car is nothing compared to the design capacity of this bridge.
Even a bus or truck at reduced speeds is no issue (speeding could create stress waves).
Here is a picture of a typical structural steel beam bolted splice:
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😂 Got one but would be hard to fit in the aircraft overhead bin. Could bring my safety jacket I suppose.
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We had to go to Puerto Plata on Wednesday, the detour added about 20 minutest going and we sat at one choke point for an hour on the way back.
Whoever was in control of the traffic at that point was in idiot for making people wait for an hour.
Please advise when the bridge is actually open for light traffic.
Whoever was in control of the traffic at that point was in idiot for making people wait for an hour.
Please advise when the bridge is actually open for light traffic.
Please don't show my welding to your brother.
I have to make a special tool to get a job done today.
No pretty but strong it did the job.
JJ
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Welding is an art form. Some can do it well and they are in demand
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