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Blasting Guardian Bridge: a construction expert Ntsbâ € ™ s complaint report on the collapse of the I-35W bridge

A blast Guardians of the bridge: a construction expert report NTSBâ € ™ s Report on I-35W Bridge Collapse € and â € € servants œPublic dropping the ball protection

A report by the NTSB more than one year in the manufacture of defective media as the cause appointments the bridge collapse in Minnesota in 2007. But the report contains a glaring omission of sin does not take into account the major problems of our national system € ™ s supervisory infrastructure that continue to put public at risk every day.

By Barry LePatner

Itâ € Â ™ s more than a year since the collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis. And now, the final report by the National Transportation Safety Board concluded its investigation: (1) the steel gusset plate originally designed in the mid-1960s to strengthen joints € ™ s bridge was half inch too thin, (2) The likely causes of the collapse of additional changes were in the original design, which has added substantial weight on the bridge, and the added weight of building materials located on the bridge contractor just before the collapse. € ™ s is well. And if youâ € ™ re clearly thought there was something more in this collapse, you're right. And ignoring the other (very critical) factors, the NTSB perpetuates a problem that puts millions of Americans at risk every day.

The NTSB is seriously neglected its duty to protect Americans. Placing the blame for bridge collapse plates pocket and the weight has been added, the Council took no account of inefficiency and irresponsibility of the responsible government agencies bridge, which also helped the disaster.

The heart many of these problems is the Minnesota Department of Transportation, which (and LIENA € ™ sa scary thought!) has been considered one of the better transportation ministries state in the country. Basically, MnDOT is not to protect the public from avoidable catastrophe that has been long in gestation. And the problems facing the MnDOT are far from isolated. ITEM around the world are struggling to keep the roads linking the nation in working condition.

We to put those struggles in perspective: there are 12,000 bridges in our country whose views are similar to the I-35W Bridge. In addition, according to statistics of 2007, a Department U.S. Transportation / Research and Innovative Technology Administration report, more than 72,000 bridges are marked â € € œstructurally poor and more than 81,000 bridges identified as a œfunctionally obsolete.â € € Each of these requirements detailed inspections to ensure bridge safety.

An important factor contributing to the poor in America € ™ s infrastructure is the irresponsibility and the apparent ineffectiveness raised by those were elected or appointed to positions in government that is supposed to exist to ensure public safety. To illustrate, here are some red flags that have been identified who MnDOT and other officials warned that the I-35W bridge is in trouble, but have been ignored, misunderstood or simply not given on time:

* The I-35W bridge was rated as â € € œstructurally deficient in 1990. Despite annual reports which describe a continuous loss of accumulation section and corrosion in key locations, and the attention of a number of consultants who recommended substantial corrective measures taken at any time between 1990 and its collapse in 2007 was the bridge I-35W € ™ s condition is never risen above its œpoorâ Note â € €.

* There are pockets â Photography € € œbowing and arches from 2003, but the pictures, taken by MnDOT consultants were apparently abandoned in a file and forgotten. MnDOT inspection engineers found no red flags such severe enough to attract attention.

* In 1996, a bridge on I-90 bridge outside of Cleveland with a structure similar to the I-35W collapsed following the design of square irregular plates. But if: a) The employee has investigated this serious misconduct, b) an official record of foreign engineers has been presented indicating that the bags actually contribute to the bridge collapse ™ € s and c Engineering) Civil magazine has published a paper in 1997 describing the bridge collapse in Ohio, MnDOT officials have denied having heard of the Ohio Bridge failure and said they had no knowledge of any problems before the Design of square.

* Discussions on the need to add redundancy of I-35W bridge has been extended in previous years € "but action has never been made. And indeed, instead of working redecking MnDOT planned overloaded that sections of the bridge, and according to the NTSB, has contributed to the failure of the bellows plates.Â

Of course, none of this means that Minnesota is the only state of the serious problems with its infrastructure. The Colorado Department of Transportation acknowledged that the cost to replace or rehabilitate 125 bridges rated in poor state in the state is $ 1,400,000,000. However, bridge repair funding an essential element in reducing the number of bridges are considered structurally deficit has been reduced by $ 32 million in 2007 to $ 18 million for 2009.

Or consider a history of Georgia, in which reports identify several bridges as hazardous were discarded. Why? Because the official said would address the problem required too much paperwork and too many people involved. Stories like this are clear indications that Minnesota donâ € ™ t the only State that has made its political chief in the sand in its infrastructure problems.

It is clear that the solution to our infrastructure crisis will take more than a few points here and there. In 2005, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has estimated that the cost of making upgrades, repairs and upgrades needed in the system of bridges of U.S. will be 9.4 billion dollars per year for twenty years. The report also shows the roads in the United States has 92 billion dollars / Year for maintenance and $ 125,600,000 per year for Improvements € "an updated report next year probably reflect an ASCE even greater cost for these repairs.

Even if our government with few resources to find money and ensure Itâ € ™ to be applied correctly Thereâ € ™ s little evidence that manufacturers could get it done at this price. The construction industry itself has been plagued by problems since some time ago, lost an estimated $ 120 billion each year. These issues are more easily flooded in public projects, the first example is the "Big Dig, and billions of dollars in cost overruns.

We must begin to act now to strengthen America at € ™ s infrastructure. Failure to do so is to invite more death and destruction. "Every engineer in the field of bridge design may testify to the corrosive effects of inadequate maintenance our bridges and tunnels things worse € "which are not self-healing. And while the problem is much too massive and widespread repair Day Suddenly, we can take steps now to begin to erode.

We must do everything possible to stop the downward spiral of our nation € ™ s infrastructure. As Obama's new government prepares to fight against the United States € ™ struggling economy, we must repair the nationality € ™ s infrastructure an important part of this plan. This may not only help prevent future disasters, which really contributes to our nation € ™ s prosperity.

All one billion U.S. dollars in infrastructure spending is estimated to create 47,000 new jobs, a critical factor in a time when our unemployment rate is a high level in 14 years. In taking action to solve our infrastructure problems now have the opportunity to improve economy with a high return on investment a better infrastructure, more secure, leading to a stronger nation.

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On the author:

Barry B. LePatner is the founder of New York City law firm LePatner & Associates LLP. During three decades, has played an important role as a consultant in business and legal matters affecting the design and building construction. He is head of the company became widely recognized as a na € ™ s senior advisers to corporate and institutional clients, owners, design professionals y.

Mr. LePatner is widely recognized as a thought leader in the construction industry. Their new book, shattered buildings, busted budgets: How to Fix America on ™ € s construction industry billions of dollars (The University of Chicago Press), revised on the wall Street Journal, has created a national debate among owners, designers and other key stakeholders. Mr. LePatner has appeared in BusinessWeek, the Boston, Globe, The New York Times, Crain € ™ New York s business, the Chicago Tribune, and other prestigious publications. His articles and speeches about the dangerous situation of our nation € ™ s infrastructure has earned him widespread attention. There appeared on numerous television and radio topics including an appearance on CNBC and NPR several segments. In November 2007 the magazine article says, â € œIf Thereâ guru € ™ sa construction reform, itâ € ™ s € LePatner.â

A nationally recognized speaker, Mr. LePatner has published trends on issues that affect the heart and house-building during the recent events sponsored by: International Economic Forum of the Americas Real Estate Board of New York; FIATECH the Club of the National Property Association in the Homeowners Building America, the Association of Management Construction of America, the financial management of the Construction Association, and MC Consultants Inc. € ™ s default to the construction and the Law Construction of the Conference. We also regularly receive CLE-accredited law firms and other organizations on how the industry works and construction how to better protect their customers against the risks of the construction process.

Outlook Real LePatner œReal sponsored â €, â € a series of annual seminars and real estate executives, â € œProtection, Survival, Preparedness: draft strategy post-9/11 world, â €, a seminar presented to institutional investors, developers and managers of corporate real estate, and a € œSecure space, â € a safety seminar for owners of builders and developers. He also presented a Cost € œConstruction Integrity: Equitable distribution Agreements risks € and â € œProtecting owner traps in Todai € ™ s construction projects, â € a series of lectures and continuing legal education to lawyers and their internal departments in real estate, and with great success â € € œMarketing Professionals to design courses at Harvard University Appoints € ™ s Summer Program 1990-2004 with Eugene Kohn, founder of KPF Associates.

Mr. LePatner has many writing and is widely quoted in the media on the subject of construction law. Previously, he was co-author of the legal sections of the Manual Interior Design, McGraw-Hill 2001, and the construction and the failures of the Foundation: a collection of architects, engineers and lawyers, McGraw Hill, 1982, Sidney Johnson, PE

Recently published articles are: â € œSarbanes-Oxley € ™ s Wake-Up Call to the construction industry, â € the Journal of the PCA in December 2007, written with Henry Korn, Esq. And Anthony Chan, CPA, â € œTodayâ € ™ s construction contracts: Note Editor, â € Legal Times, September 2007, â € œThe Industry forgotten by time, â € Boston Globe, August 2007, â € œConstruction increases costs: owners should know the difference between myth and reality, â € New York Real Estate Journal, October 2006, and â € You Ready œAre € "Plans disaster management to help protect their owners € INVESTMENTS March / April 2006 Real Estate Investment Trade magazine. Published articles in the Journal of Law in New York include: â € œ â € Warning Lawyer Editorial construction agreements ™ € s your new construction project Guest Aina € ™ t What, â € March 27, â € 2006 a project œInsuring construction for water and mold, â € October 25, 2004, â € œBuilding Safeguards and the owner's responsibility after September 11 â € May 1, 2003, written with Henry Korn, Esq.

In May 2002, LePatner was elected by the American Institute of Architects to receive an honorary member of AIA, one of the highest honors the organization can give a person is an architect and is given to those who have dedicated their lives to serving the professional architect.

In July 2001, LePatner was elected to the Board of Diffa, the fight against AIDS Design Industries Foundation. He also served many advisory committees, including: the Consultative Council, the Society of Marketing Professional Services, 1990-93, the Governing Body of the construction New York Congress Information of the Council advisers, legal for the construction industry, 1981-1989, American Institute of Architects Advisory Committee, in 1984, and Academy National Science, 1984-1985. Member of the Bar Association of New York City New York State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

On the book:

The broken buildings, Budget Buster: How to fix America € ™ s about the construction industry one billion dollars (The University Press of Chicago, October 2007, ISBN-13: 978-0-226-47267-6 ISBN-10: 0-226-47267-1, $ 25.00) is available in bookstores throughout the country, online bookstores and directly from the publisher www.press.uchicago.edu .

For more information, visit www.brokenbuildings.com .

About the Author

Barry B. LePatner is the founder of the New York City-based law firm LePatner & Associates LLP. For three decades, he has been prominent as an advisor on business and legal issues affecting the real estate, design, and construction industries. He is head of the law firm that has grown to become widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading advisors to corporate and institutional clients, real estate owners, and design professionals.

Mr. LePatner is widely recognized as a thought leader in the construction industry. His new book, Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets: How to Fix America’s Trillion-Dollar Construction Industry (The University of Chicago Press), which was reviewed in the Wall Street Journal, has created a national debate among owners, designers, and other key stakeholders. Mr. LePatner has been featured in BusinessWeek, the Boston Globe, the New York Times, Crain’s New York Business, the Chicago Tribune, and other prestigious publications. His articles and speeches on the perilous state of our nation’s infrastructure have garnered him widespread attention. He has appeared on many television and radio broadcasts, including a CNBC appearance and several National Public Radio segments. A November 2007 Governing Magazine article stated, “If there’s a guru of construction industry reform, it’s LePatner.â€

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