Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

Speaking of Canadian neighbors, PCL Civil Constructors, the Canadian-based company in charge of building a number of bridges around here is in the news again. As I’m sure you’ve heard, the new upper-level portion of the Selmon Expressway has sunk to new lows. What you may not have yet heard, is that now no Boats are being allowed under Clearwater’s Memorial Bridge. You may remember this same company is working on the Selmon, the Memorial Bridge, which has cracks and is sinking and Sarasota’s Ringling Bridge, which was also held up for a couple reasons. St. Pete Times on PCL:

Locally, though, the firm has struggled. In Clearwater, its Memorial Causeway Bridge project has suffered several structural flaws. Four columns supporting the bridge’s tallest and widest span are cracked and may have to be demolished and rebuilt. Engineers are also studying whether that section of the roadway might have to come down.
Another part of the roadway fell 7 inches when scaffolding underneath it buckled. And in December 2002, crews used explosives to drop an 80-foot section of the bridge span after it fell a foot and twisted when a section of scaffolding failed.
In Sarasota, work was stopped on the Ringling Causeway Bridge after cracks were detected in the roadway. Also, the spans were misaligned and a pier was cast improperly.
In South Florida, crews dropped a section of concrete bridge at the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport. Afterward, PCL performed repairs before DOT could finish a review of the repair plan.
This year, the DOT raised more questions about additional problems with the Ringling Causeway, including extensive cracking. Also, according to Prasad, PCL submitted plans that were not acceptable to the agency.
“Instead of admitting the error and making the required changes,” Prasad wrote, “PCL urged the Department to accept the plans.”

My four-year old builds sturdier bridges with her Lego’s. You’ve heard the old joke about all Canadians being either lumberjacks or hockey players. Maybe it’s time for the NHL to start a summer league – they sure can’t build bridges. Wacky Canadians.