‘Horrible sequence of mistakes’: How bullet train contractors botched a bridge project

[PeteS in CA]

‘Horrible sequence of mistakes’: How bullet train contractors botched a bridge project

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-08-10/california-bullet-train-bridge-snafu

A series of errors by contractors and consultants on the California bullet train venture caused support cables to fail on a massive bridge, triggering an order to stop work that further delayed a project already years behind schedule, the Los Angeles Times has learned.
...
Authorities have yet to finalize a plan to repair the bridge. Late last year, crews installed temporary steel supports to prevent it from collapsing.

Hundreds of pages of documents obtained by The Times under a public records request show the steel supports snapped as a result of neglect, work damage, miscommunications and possible design problems.
...
The bridge work began in 2016 and was supposed to be completed in 12 months. Relocation of underground utilities became a problem, as there were schedule glitches, according to rail authority and Madera County officials. Months turned into years, during which thousands of residents were forced to take long detours around the site.

Then last year came a series of blunders.

High-strength steel strands supporting the 636-foot-long structure began to snap on Oct. 22, one after another. Ultimately, 23 of the strands, which are composed of seven individual wires each, broke unexpectedly, according to rail authority documents and officials. The order to stop work was issued Nov. 4.

A forensic engineering analysis, obtained by The Times, found that the strands corroded from rainwater that had leaked into the internal structure of the bridge and then broke. The analysis was prepared for Tutor Perini by the forensic engineering firm Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates of Northbrook, Ill.

If CA counties were ranked wettest to driest, Madera County would probably be in the lower half of the list. So if rainwater leaked into the structure, its design or build quality must have been pretty poor! Of course, this is the massive boondoggle that should never have been built, so this is par for the course. The article calls out Goobernor Nuisance, but Goobernors Moonbeam and Ahhhnold-the-RINO share in the discredit.

[Hoodat]

[skeeter]

It wouldn’t be so bad that rats are feeding their union supporters with make work projects if the unions still knew how to do their jobs.

If it were up to today’s union members San Franciscans would still have to take the ferry to Saucelito.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

That's one train I dare not ride.

[SZonian]

"mistakes"...an interesting euphemism to describe incompetence.

[Smokin Joe]

"mistakes"...an interesting euphemism to describe incompetence.

S.N.A.F.U.

[DB]

And no doubt that a number of connected people got quite wealthy during this failure.

[SZonian]

 

S.N.A.F.U.

[SZonian]

And no doubt that a number of connected people got quite wealthy during this failure.

[roamer_1]

S.N.A.F.U.

I watch 'Demolition Ranch' and 'Off the Ranch' by Matt Carriker on Youtube... As a series in 'Off the Ranch', they bought an abandoned mansion  - A huge house that for some reason made it through framing and dry-in during construction, which then stopped unfinished some 20 years ago... Now, a good portion of the damage across that time came from folks busting all the windows out - But the comparison is there - The unfinished and un-managed state of the place for over two decades had wrought massive damage, rotting it in places right down to it's very bones.

This is likely a similar thing... A boondoggle to start with, left open to the weather in an unfinished state... The result can hardly be a surprise.

[GtHawk]

I used to work with a young guy who got a job on The Moonbeam Express when our employer went out of business, I wonder if he still has the job? I'll have to ask my old boss he still stays in touch with the owner of our old company and the kid was the owners son in law.