Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by a cargo boat.

[kage69]

It was that bloodthirsty tyrant Zelenskyy! *shakes fist*

 

[HomerJS]

He's making it easy for them...

Biden pledges federal dollars for 'entire cost' to rebuild collapsed Baltimore bridge - Maryland Matters

President calls on Congress to authorize full federal funding for bridge reconstruction — a politically cumbersome process.

www.marylandmatters.org

I disagree with Biden on this. Federal matching money, sure, but the ENTIRE cost? No fckn way. Make Maryland foot at least 1/2 of the cost of rebuilding the bridge.

I agree. MD should pay part of the cost. Maybe that was Biden's opening salvo knowing Republicans will object.

 

[K1052]

For reference I think Minnesota paid maybe 10% of the cost of rebuilding the I-35 bridge after that collapse. Feds picked up the rest of the tab.

 

[kage69]

He's making it easy for them...

Biden pledges federal dollars for 'entire cost' to rebuild collapsed Baltimore bridge - Maryland Matters

President calls on Congress to authorize full federal funding for bridge reconstruction — a politically cumbersome process.

www.marylandmatters.org

I disagree with Biden on this. Federal matching money, sure, but the ENTIRE cost? No fckn way. Make Maryland foot at least 1/2 of the cost of rebuilding the bridge.

The state itself should have a stake in it, absolutely.

If it's for the public, then they should apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Public Assistance Program. 75% reimbursement for qualified replacements, which I think is fair. Idk maybe bridges would get a better deal due to their importance to general commerce and transportation. It's not a park after all.

I think Biden is trying to do right by the auto industry, which just took a big hit with this port closing.

 

[Muse]

For reference I think Minnesota paid maybe 10% of the cost of rebuilding the I-35 bridge after that collapse. Feds picked up the rest of the tab.

If the shipping company didn't adequately deal with issues and they're to blame, shouldn't they be liable for reconstruction costs? I think that's happened in previous situations of ships striking bridges.

A 2018 report for the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure catalogued 35 major bridge collapses that were caused by boat strikes between 1960 and 2015, killing a total of 342 people. Eighteen of those incidents happened in the United States.

These US bridges collapsed after they were hit by ships or barges

At least 18 other U.S. bridges have collapsed since 1960 before the Francis Scott Key Bridge collision.

www.nbcwashington.com

 

[fskimospy]

If the shipping company didn't adequately deal with issues and they're to blame, shouldn't they be liable for reconstruction costs? I think that's happened in previous situations of ships striking bridges.

I am confident that will happen but the important part is to rebuild the bridge as soon as possible.

 

[skyking]

Blame will be divvied up amongst the pilot crew, captain, the ship owners. The feds will foot most of the bill.

 

[brycejones]

I am surprised at how there was zero protection for the bridge pier. Ultimately a very flawed design that was an accident waiting to happen.

 

[fskimospy]

I am surprised at how there was zero protection for the bridge pier. Ultimately a very flawed design that was an accident waiting to happen.

What protection would have saved it from a zillion ton container ship?

 

[Muse]

I am surprised at how there was zero protection for the bridge pier. Ultimately a very flawed design that was an accident waiting to happen.

There was a story on local Bay Area TV this evening (CBS affiliate) about bridges in the bay. They were making the case that it wouldn't happen here, that the bridge piers are individually designed to withstand major shocks, from earthquake to, yes, even being rammed by a fully loaded 900 foot long cargo ship going 9 mph. Of course, I'm a bit skeptical. It was said that the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge (collapsed during the 7.3 EQ centered 50 miles away in 1989) is the most advanced such bridge structure on planet earth.

 

[Muse]

Blame will be divvied up amongst the pilot crew, captain, the ship owners. The feds will foot most of the bill.

So, how long will it take to get the port working? I had to rewatch an expert's blurb on TV of about 10 seconds about 5 times tonight. He seemed to say the minimum is a month, the maximum a year or two, er, or something like that.

 

[Newbian]

Blame will be divvied up amongst the pilot crew, captain, the ship owners. The feds will foot most of the bill.

I hope the company has good insurance as I am sure the cost for a new bridge will up their deductibles just a bit.

 

[sdifox]

So, how long will it take to get the port working? I had to rewatch an expert's blurb on TV of about 10 seconds about 5 times tonight. He seemed to say the minimum is a month, the maximum a year or two, er, or something like that.

Huh? Shouldn't take more than a week to clear waterway. New bridge is a different ballgame.

 

[eelw]

Huh? Shouldn't take more than a week to clear waterway. New bridge is a different ballgame.

Yup unlike the Pennsylvania highway where they just packed dirt, they can’t do an ad hoc temporary fix.

 

[Pohemi]

What protection would have saved it from a zillion ton container ship?

[in regards to Golden Gate]:

South tower base is protected by a huge steel reinforced concrete fender 40ft thick.

That would have helped, even if it wasn't enough to stop it. They can change the direction of large ships like that enough to not have the bridge support take all of it. It might have prevented the collapse, even if it damaged the support.

 

[skyking]

What protection would have saved it from a zillion ton container ship?

dolphins and fender systems can serve to deflect a ship. They don't need to be impervious, just enough to change the direction.
Example of a ferry fender system in Seattle. Scale it up.

 

[BoomerD]

My last job was on the Richmond-San Rafael bridge across the northern end of SF Bay.



The main ship channels all have fenders like these...there are steel pipe pilings driven deep into the underlying mud, filled with rebar and concrete, then the decks are built on heavy steel H-beams with reinforced concrete decks The piers in the distance are all cased in reinforced pre-stressed concrete.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I disagree with Biden on this. Federal matching money, sure, but the ENTIRE cost? No fckn way. Make Maryland foot at least 1/2 of the cost of rebuilding the bridge.

Make the Boat People pay for it.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Huh? Shouldn't take more than a week to clear waterway. New bridge is a different ballgame.

But how soon can they get to work? Investigations? Moving the bridge's battering ram without sinking it and dumping thousands of containers?

 

[BoomerD]

Make the Boat People pay for it.

Sure...that would be fine...but how long would it take to collect? Would the ship owner/operator just go bankrupt rather than get saddled with a couple of billion $$$ in construction costs?

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Well, we have the boat and the containers and the contents.

Auction?

 

[Pohemi]

The shipping company/ship owners, ship's captain, or harbor masters who were driving out of port could all potentially be looking at civil suits down the road as well from survivors and families of the deceased.

I'm guessing it more likely legal/civil action against the company or owners than individuals on the ship. If the ship malfunctioned because it wasn't properly maintained, then doubly so.

 

[cytg111]

And here comes the conspiracies

 

[Pens1566]

We should just cut to the chase and admit that it was caused by transgender Ukrainian antifa librarians that only had their jobs because of DEI that got in through the open border and got all hopped up on mifepristone.

 

[zinfamous]

I called it almost exactly. Republicans are just a bunch of evil fuckers.

Right-Wingers Are Already Pushing Conspiracy Theories About Baltimore Bridge Collapse

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has led right-wingers to blame Biden and push conspiracy theories.

www.rollingstone.com

Other Republicans are blaming the usual suspects, people of color. Because they cause all the problems in America

obviously it would have nothing to do with rolling back transport regulations that Republicans, and especially Trump and Chow, absolutely wet themselves over.