iS THE THOMAS JOHNSON BRIDGE IN WORSE SHAPE THAN WE ARE TOLD?

3CATSAILOR

Well-Known Member
The question is, is the Thomas Johnson bridge in worst shape than we are told? I don't know the answer to this question pro or con. I do know the bridge is 50 or more years old. What I do know is that I can physically see what appears to be large amounts of "caulk" between pieces of concrete that hold the bridge up. I can see steel 'bands" around many of the pillars that hold the bridge up. Based on the weight, stress, wind, age and normal wear and tear on a daily basis the bands made of metal (which is significantly rusting) appears to me, and in just my opinion it could eventually snap. I do not think it could withstand another earthquake such as what we had several years ago. Go under the bridge and take a real close look at it. Look at how it is "pieced together" and consider along with the elements of time, stress and other factors whether or not you think it is safe. A long story short, I think a good prayer is in order every time you cross this bridge. Oh yeah, and then combine that with no funding in the foreseeable future to replace the bridge, and you then have the "Perfect Storm" of a major, horrific accident over the horizon. Sure, they will fund a study here or a study there. It's simply a delay tactic to placate the people who live down here. Look at this soup that we call the bridge. All of the ingredients are in place for a major collapse. Some people hate bridges because they are afraid of bridges. At least with this one, you have a good reason to be afraid of it. And even if they find the funding for it somehow, it will still take years to build. And there's more. - So, do you want to know about the under water pillars? Lets say four things that we know for sure. 1) They are exposed to salt in the salt water. That's never good. 2) The currents are quite strong. That doesn't help either. 3) Age. It is simply an old bridge. 4) The bridge is heavily used. - More than the original intended purpose. This adds to extra stress.

And if that isn't bad enough to get your attention, you may have noticed a significant up tick of cars crossing the center line for unexplained reasons in Southern Maryland. Blame it on folks on drugs such as opiates or blame it on the cell phone, or simply not paying attention for other reasons. The bottom line is the same. You have no where to get out of the way once on the bridge. Therefore, "you are toast". Thus you may want to say more than one prayer when you cross! At least now you have a reason to really be afraid of a bridge.
 
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Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Add all the trash trucks that come out of the dump with full loads going into Virginia on a daily basis.
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
and your point is?

I believe the MD legislature has effectively killed a bridge replacement in our lifetime. No exaggeration.
Not when you consider the lengthy process and funds required.
All you can say for sure is the bridge might remove itself before the state gets around to it.
 

Grumpy

Well-Known Member
and your point is?

I believe the MD legislature has effectively killed a bridge replacement in our lifetime. No exaggeration.
Not when you consider the lengthy process and funds required.
All you can say for sure is the bridge might remove itself before the state gets around to it.

You are always a breath of fresh air :yay:
 

Merlin99

Visualize whirled peas
PREMO Member
Add all the trash trucks that come out of the dump with full loads going into Virginia on a daily basis.
Also that new light at myrtle point rd. backs up traffic all the way back to Solomons. That static load sitting up there has to have some impact on the life of the bridge.
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
You are always a breath of fresh air :yay:

no, just telling it like it is. With a super majority in the legislature, but a republican governor, the good old democrats figured out a way to control the budget, or at least where the money will go.
They have made it difficult for the less populous areas to get projects funded, directing the money to more urban areas.
When you look at the process, it's decades to put a project like the bridge in place. State transportation departments take more time, not just Maryland, to complete a project than DoD and NASA.
We aren't talking research and development, anything cutting edge. It's a road, a bridge.
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
Also that new light at myrtle point rd. backs up traffic all the way back to Solomons. That static load sitting up there has to have some impact on the life of the bridge.

in summation, the bridge is seeing use it was not designed for, ergo, the projected life expectancy of the bridge is going to be much shorter than the projections.
BRAC wasn't in the future then. So the number of vehicles and size was lower. The traffic lights added were not a factor in the original design since the need for them was not projected.
 

3CATSAILOR

Well-Known Member
You are always a breath of fresh air :yay:

Actually, he is probably right. There is no evidence at all that the State intends to do anything but stall. The stalling will in time cost the lives of people. This would not be the first bridge that collapsed and it won't be the last. The collapse when it does occur will be far more dramatic since the bridge is so high up. The fall of it will look like something Si-Fi movies are made up with one exception. It will be REAL life!!
 

frequentflier

happy to be living
Recap from article in yesterday's Calvert Recorder:

Harry Nice bridge project advancing while TJ bridge doesn't have full funding for its design. Partially funded by tolls, HN Bridge replacement starts next year at a cost of $769 million. Estimated cost for the new four lane TJ bridge is between $500-$600 million. With only $15 million funded for the design of the bridge Jim Ports, deputy secretary for operations for the MD DOT said "we're not there yet".
The HN bridge saw 18,584 vehicles a day on average in 2016, while the TJ Bridge saw nearly 30,000 vehicles a day last year.

So they don't even have funding for the design of a new TJ bridge; no less the money to build it.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
in summation, the bridge is seeing use it was not designed for, ergo, the projected life expectancy of the bridge is going to be much shorter than the projections.

I recently saw an updated projection on the end-of-service for that bridge and it's very close...something like 2025 if I recall correctly.

I stopped at River Haven, in Port Royal, for a catfish sammich the other day and was watching the work underway on rebuilding the structure under that bridge. Great view of it from the window seats. Total overhaul...every last concrete post, beam and lintle is being completely rebuilt "in place". Pretty impressive looking work too, and a lot of it. I wonder if that's an option for the TJ bridge. Does not sound like it is.
 

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
I recently saw an updated projection on the end-of-service for that bridge and it's very close...something like 2025 if I recall correctly.

I stopped at River Haven, in Port Royal, for a catfish sammich the other day and was watching the work underway on rebuilding the structure under that bridge. Great view of it from the window seats. Total overhaul...every last concrete post, beam and lintle is being completely rebuilt "in place". Pretty impressive looking work too, and a lot of it. I wonder if that's an option for the TJ bridge. Does not sound like it is.

That is a fairly small bridge, not sure on the depth of the water there but the pillars can't be nearly as long as the ones for the TJ bridge.

How is the food at River Haven btw?
 
I recently saw an updated projection on the end-of-service for that bridge and it's very close...something like 2025 if I recall correctly.

I stopped at River Haven, in Port Royal, for a catfish sammich the other day and was watching the work underway on rebuilding the structure under that bridge. Great view of it from the window seats. Total overhaul...every last concrete post, beam and lintle is being completely rebuilt "in place". Pretty impressive looking work too, and a lot of it. I wonder if that's an option for the TJ bridge. Does not sound like it is.

They were working on that bridge for a long while, thought they were done. Doing the opposite lanes now?
 
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