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One year after a bridge collapse in Minneapolis killed 13 people, bridge inspections across the country are still fundamentally flawed and inundated with error, according to industry experts and recent studies.
mn bridge
Scene of collapsed Interstate 35W bridge over Mississippi River, Minneapolis, Minnesota
(AP Photo)Most bridge check-ups are still done visually, which means the risk of error tends to be frequent, according to safety experts. The government has issued no standard for new, updated maintenance equipment since last year’s collapse, which came a full six years after a government study showed bridge inspectors had a poor rate of assessing damage.
Back in 2001 the Federal Highway Administration tested 49 bridge inspectors in 49 states by accompanying them on tests to bridges FHWA officials knew had flaws.