530PM: Other bridges eyed for repair in Stuart before deterioration of Roosevelt Bridge

Crews are scrambling day and night to fix the new Roosevelt Bridge spanning the St.

Lucie River in Stuart after the Florida Department of Transportation shut down traffic on that 24-year-old bridge.

TO OTHER BRIDGES IN FLORIDA INNEED OF REPAIR.

CONTACT FIVEINVESTIGATOR DAVE BOHMANTONIGHT LOOKS AT SOME OF THEBRIDGES IN OUR AREA SHOWINGCRACKS AND OTHER SIGNS OFAGING.CREWS SCRAMBLE DAY AND NIGHTTO FIX THE ROOSEVELT BRIDGE INSTUART, AFTER CONCRETE CHUNKSDROPPED AND CRACKS FORMED ONTHE 24-YEAR OLD BRIDGE.

[ANANTH PRASAD / FLTRANSPORTATION BUILDERS ASSN.] [ 9:01]“THE AVERAGE SERVICELIFE OF A BRIDGE IS UPWARDS OF80 YEARS, SO OUR BRIDGES INFLORIDA LAST A LONG TIME”ANANTH PRASAD IS THE HEAD OFTHE FLORIDA TRANSPORTATIONBUILDERS ASSOCIATION.

EVENWITH REPORTS FALLING CONCRETE,AND VISUAL CRACKS ON THEROOSEVELT BRIDGE& PRASADPREDICTS THIS SPAN WONBLOCKED TO TRAFFIC LONG.

[ANANTH PRASAD / FLTRANSPORTATION BUILDERS ASSN.] [ 10:36]“ THE DEPARTMENTHAS A HISTORY OF, A TRACKRECORD OF QUICKLY GETTING ON,REPAIRING BRIDGES, AND OPENINGIT TO TRAFFIC” OTHER BRIDGESHAVE THE ATTENTION OF BOTHTRANSPORTATION BUSINESSLEADERS AND SAFETY ADVOCATES.CONTACT FIVE LOOKED AT U-SDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONINSPECTION RECORDS AND FOUND12 BRIDGES IN PALM BEACHCOUNTY AND THE TREASURE COASTRATED“STRUCTURALLY DEFICIEN”THAT MEANS THEY ARE SAFE TODRIVE OVER, BUT“HAVE CRACKS,DAMAGE, WEAR, OR OTHERPROBLEMS THAT IF NOT MONITOREDOR FIXED&COULD BECOME WORSEAND LEAD TO FAILURE IN THEFUTURE” THE LIST OF 12INCLUDES THE SEBASTIAN INLETBRIDGE BUILT IN 1965.

[ CHRISPINSON ] [:52]“ THE BRIDGE ISTRULY A BLESSING FOR US TOHAVE” CHRIS PINSON CO-OWNS ABEACHFRONT RESTAURANT INSEBASTIAN NEAR THE BRIDGE.

HEHOPES A MULTI- BILLION DOLLARSTIMULUS PACKAGE THAT MAY BEON THE WAY NCLUDES MONEY FORTHIS 55-YEAR-OLD LIFELINE.

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[CHRIS PINSON] [ 2:20 ]“ITSVERY IMPORTANT, I HOPE ITS ATTHE TOP OF THE LIST” [ CHRISPINSON ] [1:5}“IF WE DIDNHAVE THE INLET BRIDGE, PEOPLEWOULD HAVE TO TRAVEL A VERYWIDE, OUT OF THE WAY CIRCUITTO GET TO OUR AREA” DAVEBOHMAN, WPTV NEWSCHANNEL 5BASKETBALL LEGEND KOBEBRYANT'S WIDOW IS CALLING ONLAWMAKERS TO PASS A HELI