I’ve got some interesting and important news to share about the bridges in Connecticut! If you find yourself driving over a bridge during your morning or afternoon commute, have you ever thought about how old it is or what kind of shape it’s in?
According to connecticuthistory.org, forty years ago, in 1983, a tragic incident unfolded when a 100-foot section of the Mianus River Bridge on the Connecticut Turnpike suddenly gave way. In a horrifying moment, two large tractor-trailer trucks, along with two passenger vehicles, plunged directly into the depths of the river below. The catastrophic collapse resulted in the loss of three lives, while three others sustained injuries.
In the aftermath of this disaster, Connecticut took significant measures to address bridge safety. Josh Morgan, a representative from the Department of Transportation, noted a significant improvement in bridge conditions over the years: “In 2012, over 10% of state bridges were rated poor; now that figure has decreased to about 5%.”
Connecticut is home to a remarkable infrastructure, featuring an extensive network of 4,325 bridges that play a crucial role in connecting communities and facilitating transportation throughout the state. Encouragingly, all of these bridges have been assessed to be in satisfactory condition, meaning that none are currently classified as being in poor repair…