Gospel Street Bridge

What's everyone's opinion of the new "idiot bar"? Certainly better than getting wacked again

Between that scowl on her face and the "Battle wounds"(Cast), I wouldn't mess with her!!!

As far as my daughter is concerned, no "headache bar" is needed. She will freely supply the "headache" to you if you supply the over weight truck!

Repaired bridge will be dedicated and reopened January 3rd, 2018:

http://www.wbiw.com/local/archive/2017/12/historic-paoli-bri...

Glad to hear it will have a functional yet also thoughtful design of headache bar. Its important. One of the first "saves" I was involved with was the Balls Bridge in Canada, and it has one of the nicest headache bars I've ever seen, and it also mimics details on the bridge too. Due to the design of the road, one of the bars is at the top of the hill so its not anywhere near the bridge at all, its near an intersection with a busier road, and they also put the interpretive signs for the bridge there. In this way, the headache bar is actually also an advertisement for the bridge, catching people's eye and encouraging them to come visit the bridge. http://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=on...

This bridge will feature off-structure height limit bars that mimic the sway bracing of the bridge! I have long lamented the importance of using these (at a distance not to distract from the photogenic element), but this is taking it to the next step in putting up more than just I-beam Headache bars! Fantastic!!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OldBridges/permalink/2065079...

Still not open but it looks ready. Damn fine job too!

The gospel of Jesus Christ Shall be preached!!!!!

Visited this bridge today and it looks like the repair is moving along at a brisk pace. Good for Paoli and Indiana!

Truck Company Insurance funding full 700K. Good news indeed.

Good news, it's being fixed! Don't know any details:

http://www.wdrb.com/story/34254190/progress-being-made-on-re...

A .

I noticed that the news article said that the driver had no idea what the weight of her truck even was...I've NEVER heard of any driver with any amount of experience or professionalism even THINK about driving their rig without knowing its exact weight and dimensions. She also compared driving the truck to driving her personal vehicle across the bridge! Really?? This woman obviously had no business being behind the wheel of a semi! The warning signs are clear as day. She is obviously clueless--and hopefully gainfully unemployed.

"According to investigators, Lambright was aware of the iron bridge stating she had driven on it several times in her personal vehicle and was also aware of the posted signage 'no semis, weight limit of 6 tons.'"

Source: http://www.wlky.com/news/semitruck-driver-faces-citations-in...

You can speak until you are Blue in the face Mr. (Mrs/Miss) Wondering...

The bottom line is that the truck would not fit through the bridge. Instead of doing the right thing and asking for an experienced driver to help get the truck turned around, she decided to look totally stupid and attempt the impossible!

The only thing I will agree on with you is that the bridge should only be open to pedestrians... After it is fully restored in place!

Tony D: Location, Location, Location.

Two north/south through streets are only one block east and west. Why would this city even spend millions on a new bridge? Redundant. Alternative 1. Restore the 1880 bridge and convert to pedestrian bicycle only. No cars or trucks. 2. Dismantle the damaged bridge, place it in a storage yard and do nothing until the money to restore it becomes available. New bridge? Nope. City can't afford it.

The sections covering this traffic control signing situation are extensive. In general, there was no advance warning as required at the intersection to the south where a diverted route was available. The other myriad regs include type, size, height and location of signing. No Low Clearance signing at all. This street is essentially a dead end street for northbound trucks. Where is a Dead End street sign placed? At the end or the entrance to the dead end? Yah. And then about that invisible Low Clearance sign. Didn't help at all, did it?

Experience and Common Sense are Key to being a Truck Driver. I had a chance to interview a truck driver and get his take on trucking, bridges, GPS and the dos and don'ts of driving a semi-truck, using some excerpts from the bridge incident in Paoli, Indiana to serve as a reminder that there is more to it than just getting a license. Here is his take on all of this: http://thebridgehunter.areavoices.com/2016/08/17/experience-...

JS

This sign represents rather basic symbolism that even most elementary students would understand.

Should it really be too much to expect a grown adult that is given keys to a tractor-trailer to comprehend it as well?

...Just wondering

"Just Wondering" should also consider that bridges do not exist to JUST serve trucks. Why was the bridge open to traffic? This bridge was open to traffic because engineers and bridge inspectors found the bridge to be safe for a particular use: specifically, it was providing SAFE, RELIABLE, FUNCTIONAL service for non-truck traffic (which is actually a majority of traffic). The clearly posted signage indicated that this bridge was safe for use by non-truck traffic under six tons in weight (which again is a majority of traffic). Knowledge of the English language NOT required, look at the picture that looks like a truck with a big NO sign. That means no commercial trucks of ANY weight. Period. End of story.

So, "Just Wondering", I'd love for you to enlighten us on exactly how the signage was "clearly nonconforming and inadequate on a number of requirements."

To help you out, I'm including a photo of the signage, plus a link to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices:

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/kno_2009r1r2.htm

This is truly a lose-lose situation. All of the comments about making the driver pay lack credibility because the insurance was carried by a quickly defunct trucking company, and the driver? No insurance, no assets...good luck.

Now for two imposing questions: 1. Why was this bridge even open to traffic? 2. Was the traffic control signing in conformance with the applicable national traffic signing standards? These standards apply to every street and road in the US. My responses.....1. I have no idea. Too late to correct that. 2. No, not even close. Clearly nonconforming and inadequate on a number of requirements. Oops.

Yes too many incidents of truck drivers ignoring posted warnings for weight limits and such lately. What angers me is for crying out loud the highway bridge was just a block away. I was reading the comment(Semis) on banning semis from county roads. As a CDL holder myself I know to stick to mostly interstates and state highways because of all the things mentioned besides historic bridges. Some farmers need to drive their trucks and farm machinery on county roads but their supposed to know where they can and cant go. And some businesses to deliver or receive at are on city streets. A truck driver who receives their CDL is expected to have enough common sense to know not violate a bridges posted weight limit and never rely there always being a clearance sign as well as look for low hanging objects anywhere. There should be stronger warnings in a CDL manual. If one makes it across doing damage or not they can face big fines, jail, and have their CDL affected. If the vehicle is too heavy and attempts to cross and the bridge comes down, not only is the bridge destroyed. The driver can be severely injured including paralysis or killed just like in a vehicle crash. Think of that. I just hope the bridge can be restored. Its going to be expensive but hopefully funds can come through. And I first noticed this bridge when I was passing over the highway bridge for trucks.

On the truck drivers forum discussion about the incedent I found a post that truly sickened me on page 17

"Your bridge was dated anyway. Now you guys will get a new modern bridge thanks to the driver. I don't know what your complaining about. Your supposed to be thankful during the holiday season."

These "New modern bridges" are far uglier and are not built to last unlike a bridge of this age... That poster is an idiot.

Appearantly the bridge will cost 1 Million Dollars to repair... The only good news is the county actually wants to repair it and not replace it... Hopefully they get enough funds to pull it off... I suggest making Mary and her family pay all they have as part of the cost as well.

http://indianapublicmedia.org/news/paoli-bridge-cost-1-milli...

On the truck drivers forum discussion about the incedent I found a post that truly sickened me on page 17

"Your bridge was dated anyway. Now you guys will get a new modern bridge thanks to the driver. I don't know what your complaining about. Your supposed to be thankful during the holiday season."

These "New modern bridges" are far uglier and are not built to last unlike a bridge of this age... That poster is an idiot.

If there is any good news, the town/county is rather adamant that the bridge be restored. That does not mean this WILL happen though as the bill for repair is pretty high. I hope the trucking company is forced to pay for that, but this IS the United States, where corporate responsibility is laughed off and pushed off on local communities and taxpayers.

Interesting to note, some of the photos show a wooden deck, while more recent ones show a pretty fresh looking steel grate deck. Pretty sad that a bridge that'd been taken care of so well was seriously damaged by an absolute imbecile.

Indeed it is premature to label this as Lost, and I amended the status as such.

Nels would be a superb choice to work on this one!

The county has not had time to have meetings or process their options given the holidays. Workin' Bridges has sent a request to send in an emergency team to do a site visit that would deliver an estimate and could make recommendations on the preservation of this bridge. Nels has designed and Penta has engineered and BACH is now fabricating an engineered shoring tower system that we might be able to use for this bridge removal, as well as the removal of the Martin Road Bridge, that it will be used for soon, in possible disassembly and removal from the river in Indiana.

A site visit by experts in the field is what we provide at Workin' Bridges and we're hoping that Orange County will consider the services that we can provide in this circumstance. I see damage and I see areas that can be straightened out and repaired. When people say it is demolished I see that it hasn't hit the river yet, so hold on a little with predictions of the outcome.

Check out Workin' Bridges on Facebook for images and information on all of the projects that we are currently working on.

Nathan,

It all depends on who the key people at the county are willing to listen to.

Regards,

Art S.

It is premature to list this bridge as lost. I see no evidence (yet) that the county has refused the choice of restoring and replicating this bridge to its original condition at this time.

Maybe this bridge can be restored. Who knows? I've had it with people who don't pay attention. She didn't use her head. Pure and simple. Everyone knows older bridges were not built to have heavy trucks or vehicles on them. Shakes head.

She said she didn't know? Stupid!

Another bridge gone from stupidity!

http://www.livetrucking.com/truck-driver-who-knocked-down-br...

Found this cartoon while reading updates:

23 year old girl with a CDL and her 17 year old cousin in a rented 18 wheeler who really had no idea of what she was doing:

http://www.concretestatus.com/paoli-indiana-semitrailer-caus...

http://www.fox19.com/story/30834107/woman-faces-charges-in-p...

http://www.duboiscountyfreepress.com/truck-driver-disregards...

Someone here should get permission to post the text of the article in the third link, it actually explains what happened and is quite extraordinary.

Regards,

Art S.

Would you want the person who ran over you with their car doing part of your surgery?

But seriously folks, is there a promising solution to the problem of drivers over estimating or ignoring the load carrying capacity of these older bridges? The farmer hauling a tank of water? The independent driver hauling a trailer? The corporate driver following GPS? Unless something changes this will keep happening.

If they do restore it, they should make the truck driver do some of the manual labor! The most significant historic bridge in my county was also destroyed by a semi trying to cross it.

I have to say, the bridge looks salvageable and could be rebuilt. However given the second accident involving a truckload of beverages in two weeks, it's really sad. What a waste.......of water. :-( Link: http://thebridgehunter.areavoices.com/2015/12/27/semi-truck-...

Hypothetical for preservationists:

Assume a careless truck driver did major damage to an important historical and cultural landmark, e.g. the J. C. Nichols fountain (pictured).

What would the city do:

Scrap the fountain and replace it with a new, improved fountain

Restore it using tax money

Restore it using damages recovered from the driver, truck owner, et.al.

Tsavoy,

You are correct that the steer tires would have exceeded the weight limit but, if the truck fit and went slow, the bridge had a chance of sustaining the load; truss structures are surprisingly strong if the load is applied as designed (if you look at old covered bridge signs, they have penalties for crossing faster than a walk). The bridge would have been over-stressed (36 tons on a 6 ton bridge) but may have survived.

Unfortunately, the trucker ignoring the fact that truck was taller than the bridge as well as the load limit. Hitting the top in addition to overloading it guaranteed the bridge's fate. The truss structure is not able to withstand the lateral load of pealing back the top of the trailer.

If they don't damage the bridge too badly while removing the truck, its restorable.

Regards,

Art S.

More details; they cut bridge beams to free the truck:

http://www.wdrb.com/story/30830559/truck-wedges-itself-in-pa...

Such a damn, damn shame.

With a 6 ton weight limit all it take to be at its limit is the steer tires on a semi. I agree with Art to a degree the steers on it and hitting the top would have push the bridge past its limit.

Another article, another picture:

http://www.whas11.com/story/news/traffic/accident-constructi...

Interesting comments on a trucker board:

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/threa...

Here's an article with pictures:

http://www.wdrb.com/story/30830559/truck-wedges-itself-in-pa...

My guess is the collapse was caused because the truck was too tall, rather than simply over weight. Sad but the article mentions looking into how to restore the bridge - lets hope for a Christmas miracle...

Regards,

Art S.

Bridge was destroyed by a semi trying to cross it. Shared photos to Facebook bridge Hunter page. Waiting for permission to use the photos.

Yup....it is a misprint....should be 1880.

Speaking of this bridge, the paint job that was applied during the rehabilitation has failed miserably and the bridge needs to be repainted.

Other than that it is in very nice shape.

If this bridge was built in 1890, why does the plaque atop it say 1880?

This beauty was built in 1890 by the Cleveland Bridge & Iron Works. It was restored a few years ago and looks good, except the paint isn't holding up very well. There is a neat pedestrian bridge next to it that is also historic.

Webmaster's note: The photo that was here has been incorporated into the main site.