FIU Bridge To Be Rebuilt
After the tragic collapse of the Florida International University Bridge that killed six people in March of 2018, the Florida Department of Transportation has recently announced plans to build another bridge in its place.
NBC Miami reports that FDOT and Florida International University announced on Wednesday, May 6, that the pedestrian bridge would be rebuilt with the lessons from the previous bridge collapse kept well in mind. Officials say that the proposed bridge project that will stretch over Southwest Eighth Street will also be overseen by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The NTSB, state, and local partners will take the lessons learned from the previous bridge and incorporate more safety measures to ensure the safety of the pedestrians who use the bridge and motorists who pass beneath it.
FIU said in a statement that while working with FDOT and the NTSB, it also plans to memorialize the six people who died when the original bridge collapsed.
Among the causes for the bridge collapse on March 15, 2018, were defects in design, miscalculation of its load, and the strength of the materials used in its construction. “The Department will ensure all safety measures are in place and are followed so we may provide a safe option for pedestrians in this high-traffic area,” Kevin J. Thibault, Secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation said in a statement.
According to FDOT, the planning phase of the Sweetwater pedestrian bridge project is set to begin in 2021, with a projected completion date of 2025.