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Collapse At Molino Bridge Project, Work Halted For FDOT Review; Second Similar Failure Weeks Ago
July 3, 2018
[EXCLUSIVE] There was a collapse at a bridge under construction in Molino on Saturday, the second failure incident in less than a month, and construction has been halted while the bridge’s engineering is reassessed, NorthEscambia.com has learned.
Saturday at the Barrineau Park Road (Hwy. 196) bridge over Jacks Branch, concrete for a bridge deck span was being poured into temporary forms when a rod and temporary truss failed, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. That caused two deck spans of concrete that had not hardened to fall into water below.
“Workers in the area noticed a ‘dip’ as they were pouring the concrete and attempted a repair, but the form system collapsed,” FDOT District 3 Public Information Director Ian Satter told NorthEscambia.com. There were no injuries, and the concrete does not pose an environmental hazard.
(article continues below photo)
About three weeks ago, crews were attempting to place concrete in another deck form that failed, causing the deck and truss under the form to sag, he said. That section of bridge deck was removed by the contractor (photos at page bottom).
Monday, Satter said construction on the $1.97 million FDOT-funded project was halted after Saturday’s collapse while the entire engineering plan for the bridge is evaluated.
“We are assessing everything out there, and we (FDOT) are doing everything to assure this will not happen again,” Satter said. “There are no construction related activities on the bridge right now. They are cleaning up the site and reassessed engineering plans will be submitted to FDOT.”
(article continues below photo)
He stressed that an independent team monitors the construction of each bridge for FDOT, and each bridge must pass multiple inspections before being opened to the public. “We will have a safe bridge in place,” he said.
GDB-US Constructors, Inc. of Parish, FL, is the contractor on the project, the lowest of four bidders. Satter said to his knowledge, this is their first bridge project in FDOT District 3, which includes the area from Pensacola to Tallahassee.
The original bridge contract specified a fall completion for the project. So far there is no indication that the two incidents will prevent the bridge from being completed on time, according to FDOT.
Barrineau Park Road at Jacks Branch has been closed since January with traffic detoured via Highway 29, Molino Road (Hwy. 182), and Highway 95A.
Photos obtained by NorthEscambia.com and NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pictured below: Sections of concrete bridge deck removed from the bridge after it began to sag three weeks ago can be seen to the right of the bridge.
Comments
35 Responses to “Collapse At Molino Bridge Project, Work Halted For FDOT Review; Second Similar Failure Weeks Ago”
Let me fill you in on GDB the General contractor for the bridge, They are a canadian company.. Not a Florida company. And this is not his first bridge to collaspe!!!! Any more questions about GDB the Canadian CO. just ask me I wil l fill you in….
I wonder if someone was not paying attention in Math class?
Let’s sing a song shall we?
Molino bridge is falling down, falling down
Molino bridge is falling down and
GDB-US Constructors, Inc can’t construct it…
Pack your stuff and walk away from the job. I don’t have any doubts that in 5-10 years, a bridge inspection will be performed and require some type of repair WHEN this is eventually finished. Ummm NO! Can you guarantee the safety of a school bus filled with children crossing this bridge built by this company?
I believe AASHTO should add new limit state which relates to construction. AASHTO code states four limit state: strength, service, extreme events, and fatigue.
Thanks God there were no injuries.
Sincerely,
How about people wait til an inquiry is completed before you start throwing stones. There is a plethora of reason these failures have occurred. Leave assumptions and speculation to the properly positioned public servants…especially when a tons more than likely…you don’t know what you speak of. If anything residents and concerned citizens should be all up in the governing representative overseeing such works face demanding proper oversight and inquiry be made into every aspect involved so that safety and monetary concerns are met. Near 2 million dollars….seriously??? Stay safe fellow Barrineau neighbors and friends. Jerm C out y’all…peace!
You most certainly DO test concrete before it’s poured. You test for moisture, slump on the project site as well as other componemts prior to it leaving the batch plant. Unless the contractor made blatant mis-steps whick should of been caught by an alert, experienced inspector; the temporary engineering, false work and original design would be suspect. “Value Engineering” has nothing to do with being the low bidder. Value Engineering allows points to be awarded to a contractor who might not of been the low bidder because they discovered a means to cut cost in the comstruction or mitigate a wetland issue by altering the original design, such as adding a 3rd lane on the inside versus the outside of the median. For this to happen twice on one project IF it’s the same issue is insane and someone should ne held accountable.
I don’t know a thing about curing concrete, but the humidity and tons of rain have got to affect the curing. The temporary supports must be sinking in the wet sand. My first thought was that I feel bad for the people who have worked so hard, only to have it happen again. Consider it a (pardon this) speed bump. We only fail when we fail to try. You couldn’t pay me enough to stand out in this sun for 5 minutes! God Bless.
Could be a; design , concrete supplier or contractor error. Truth will surface quickly. Seen many FDOT jobs built and the FDOT has on site consultants and FDOT supervisors on the job supervising; the contractor’s work, materials on job meeting specs and ensuring plans are followed. Something could have slipped by of course and in concrete you only can test after pour. Plan error would be unusual unless it was a new design or new design company, has happened. As far as Low Bidder – It encourages Value Engineering and competition and is very successful, look at 3 Mile Bridge job where we saved 50M?. To bid you have to be bonded and to be bonded an insurance company pledges to finishes the work if contractor fails. When this happens the contractor is typically out of business because they will not be able to bond cost effectively ever again and the job is completed by another contractor.
Bridge Builder:
Well, since this is the second collapse then you are horrible at your job and should be fired. And lets be honest some more, you’re under paid because for starters;
* Your company was the lowest bidder,
* You failed to inspect something whether it was the concrete for too much moisture, spacing on your re bar or inadequate support for the load being poured,
* Upper management has the money, the bottom blue collar workers don’t receive that kind of pay anywhere, and
* This is the second collapse that again, the clean-up and costs associated with come out of your bosses pocket so any potential bonus has slipped through the cracks, no pun intended of course.
This bridge was supposed to be finished this summer according to the signs they have put up. Now it’s going to take even longer and the detour to get on the other side of this road kinda sucks. Hopefully they get their tails in gear and finish this mess soon.
Ok lady’s and gentelman since all the speculations are being thrown around. Let me fill y’all in on a little something. I was standing on bridge deck that collapsed Saturday morning and I will tell y’all something. We put blood sweat and tears into our work. Not a cut out of place or a nail driven in the wrong place. We did our jobs to the specks given to us. Not a T uncrossed or a I not dotted. I’ve been building bridges for almost 20 years and I have never had this happen to me before. While everyone who didn’t read the article should go back and read it very carefully. If y’all think y’all can do a better job than the skilled people who are under paid and over worked out here than get off your phones and step out of your air-conditioning an come on down and give it a shot. I bet my paycheck you don’t last till lunch. Now get your facts straight before you start with the nonsense. Thank you.
“In google it shows this company is approximately one year old and builds single family homes. How did they get in the bridge building business and get awarded a contract in Escambia County?” Boss Hog maybe?
This makes me wonder just how safe this bridge will be once it’s built. I know I’m not going to trust it. Thankfully, I don’t have to go down that road.
I’d love to know how much the state has already paid this contractor on this job?
REGARDING:
” Roman aqueducts, roads and bridges are still standing today. ”
SOME are still standing today. Thousands of others were swept away by the ravages of time and the actions of men.
David in an impermanent world
Wondering what the environmental impact will be down stream first from the actual construction and now from two failures resulting in materials and concrete being dropped into the water?
Maybe a steel bridge would have been best?
In google it shows this company is approximately one year old and builds single family homes. How did they get in the bridge building business and get awarded a contract in Escambia County?
maybe these guys followed the specifications to the letter, maybe it’s the engineer/ designer’s fault, maybe the peolpe that manufacture the building materials cut corners, ever think of that? Wait for the verdict.
>>his project was originally supposed to be completed in the Spring and now we will have to wait even longer
“The original bridge contract specified a fall completion for the project. So far there is no indication that the two incidents will prevent the bridge from being completed on time, according to FDOT.”
This is unacceptable! This project was originally supposed to be completed in the Spring and now we will have to wait even longer and then be constantly worried about it’s safety. As a resident on this road I am upset that it is going to take so long and it is a huge inconvenience! They have completed more work on the new Pensacola Bay Bridge in the same amount of time!
@Margielu and @Master Mechanic, you realize that is how construction bids work right? You normally go with the lowest bid. It’s not an auction. Also, it says that this was there first bridge job in this District, not first bridge ever…
@ Margielu “, re-read- It says first bridge “in FDOT District 3″. It does not say first bridge ever.
“this is their first bridge project in FDOT District 3, which includes the area from Pensacola to Tallahassee”.
Should have watched those YouTube videos, gonna be a long run on this one!!!
Engineer and Inspector fail.
Low bid fail.
This project looks like a comedy of errors. Think about that when you cross this (or any) bridge.
“Workers in the area noticed a ‘dip’ as they were pouring the concrete” . . . maybe they need to fire that “dip” and find someone who can do the job right!
Just throw a few culverts down and cover them with dirt and pave it. That’s all it needs for a creek.
You get what you pay for.
Margielu
I read the article that it’s the first bridge built in NW Florida I am sure it’s not their first bridge. They. Follow the engineersplans not their own.
That road is more HIWAY 196, NOT BARRINEAU PARK RD. very glad no one was hurt… My mail comes to Hiway 196. Just east of Hiway 29
This is the first project for this company in northwest Florida. The company is based south of the Tampa Bay area. It is likely not their first project in Florida. The company will have to bear the extra costs incurred, not the tax payer. Our District Florida DOT is generally on top of new construction, but they are required to follow State (and Federal) rules and regs for bidding. If they did not go with the lowest bidder. Margielu and Master Mechanic would be complaining about that.
And how long have we been building bridges? Roman aqueducts, roads and bridges are still standing today. Too bad the’re not around today to show some what they got right.
Pathetic and should fire the company and whoever awarded the job to someone that could get me or many others killed point blank. Even when the work gets completed do they honestly believe anyone is going to feel safe and confident enough to put their vehicles on the finished product???? Not me no matter what knowing money before my life is more important to whoever awarded the work done. If I was the boss both would be fired period and start all over to gain the public trust back first and foremost…..
This company has demonstrated incompetence on two occasions. To select the lowest bidder who had never built a bridge before is insane.
I ld really like an explanation as to why a company that’s never built a bridge before was hired to build this one.
Lowest cost bid? No bridge experience? Whose idea of safety and reliability is this? It just doesn’t make sense. And, who’s paying for the cost overruns for the failed bridges and the third attempt? It better not be the taxpayers!
Lowest bidder ????? get what taxpayers pay for.
..ooooppps…looks like someone did not do his homework..back to plan “C”…best wishes folks…