DOT: Champlain Bridge cracks nothing to worry about
You probably haven’t noticed them as you’re enjoying the view from the new Crown Point Bridge.
But the Plattsburgh Press Republican reported this morning that there are hairline cracks in the concrete abutments of the graceful new span.
Pedestrians took over both lanes for grand opening of the Lake Champlian Bridge in November. Photo by Mark Kurtz.
The paper says you can see some of the cracks in the pillars with the naked eye.
Not to worry, the NYSDOT says the cracks are nothing to worry about, and don’t need fixing. They’re considered “routine” in new concrete.
There is superficial hairline concrete cracking, which routinely occurs on all newly poured concrete bridges. Such hairline cracks are normal and do not affect the safety or structural integrity of the bridge.
According to the Press Republican, traffic across the news bridge is about 3400 vehicles a day. The loss of the 1929 span had forced all those commuters, tourists, cyclists and neighbors to take the very long way around the long, skinny lake.
It was no wonder the new bridge was greeted with joy on both sides of the Lake when it opened in November, barely over two years after the old bridge was abruptly declared unsafe at any speed, or weight, and closed for good.
Tags: chpv, crown point bridge, transportation, vermont
“Such hairline cracks are normal and do not affect the safety or structural integrity of the bridge.”
I’m sure that’s true. Trouble is, I remember they said something similar about the old Crown Point Bridge shortly before they closed it, announcing that it was unsafe.