75ZT Community

Now people in the UK complain about the time roadworks take. In Rouen in France there is a major bridge over the Seine. Unfortunately, in 2012 a tanker crashed spilling its load and ignited. To make matters worse some of it went down on the a roadway underneath one side of the bridge where funfair lorries and caravans were parked. These went up in flames so the top and underneath of the bridge got a roasting. Remember this was mid 2012. In August 2013 repairs started but have been held up because a barge that is required is not available. In the meantime the official diversion route is extremely long (and involves a toll). The work may be completed later this year. So that will be over two years that a major bridge has been out of action. I presume that it is an insurance job so why so long?

That reminds when part of spaghetti jnc in B'ham was closed back 1990 following a lorry fire. Can't remember for how long but am certain it was well over a year, but I may be wrong.

Contrast this when the elevated sections on motorway collapsed in L.A.(?) following the earthquakes, seem to recall they were up an running within a more realistic timescale.

H&S issue by any chance????

Gary M.

Borg Warner wrote:Contrast this when the elevated sections on motorway collapsed in L.A.(?) following the earthquakes, seem to recall they were up an running within a more realistic timescale.

But will they withstand the next one?

Borg Warner wrote:H&S issue by any chance????

Or just a matter of the contract clauses? Over here the Department for Transport tested a new method for road works on the motorways. On some contracts they implemented penalties for failing to meet the deadline and a bonus for finishing sooner. Guess what? They had to pay the extra money for all the roadworks done this way.

Borg Warner wrote:Contrast this when the elevated sections on motorway collapsed in L.A.(?) following the earthquakes, seem to recall they were up an running within a more realistic timescale.

Gary M.

I was there just a week after it happened. There was a standing joke: they weren't going to fix the bridges but put up a sign that says 'dip'. I'm not sure we have an equivalent sign, but think of the opposite of a humpack bridge. I did see an actual 'dip' in the road. I wasn't driving but I was somewhat shocked when the car in front suddenly vanished from view! The locals had a bit of a laugh about it, but this wasn't even quake damage.

There was a bridge on the motorway in Belgium, just before the German border at Aachen, which was supposed to be two sides each with two carriageways, but they only did one half to begin with, and I remember it was like that for years and years and years!

When I started truck driving out there I was very surprised when they eventually built the second half!

On the flip side of this, I recall an Internet story about earthquakes in Japan wiping out a road completely, and the whole thing being replaced within a week!

EDIT: Here you go for the Japanese road!

Dave wrote:There was a bridge on the motorway in Belgium, just before the German border at Aachen, which was supposed to be two sides each with two carriageways, but they only did one half to begin with, and I remember it was like that for years and years and years!

When I started truck driving out there I was very surprised when they eventually built the second half!

On the flip side of this, I recall an Internet story about earthquakes in Japan wiping out a road completely, and the whole thing being replaced within a week!

EDIT: Here you go for the Japanese road!

Interesting to see the tower line in the background hasn't budged.

Sure I've seen a sign that says "Hidden Dip"?

Gary M.

Yes we have signs for hidden dip, but that's a little different. We have those when there's enough of a dip in the road to hide an oncoming vehicle so the road can look clear when there's oncoming traffic. The version in LA is warning you about something much deeper.