It the below post, I meant the moveable bearings, not the fixed bearings. But they are both non functional.
Update July 24
The inspection was incomplete. Why wasn't it mentioned in the new inspection report the new concrete footing was obstructing the fixed bearings as seen in my photograph? They are non functional. Is Hoyle,Tanner covering up for the NHDOT's screwups?
The inspectors took better photographs than me.
2018 Routine/Fracture Critical Member Inspection Report
Anna Hunt Marsh Bridge NH Route 119 over the Connecticut River NHDOT Bridge No. 041/040 Hinsdale, NH
Prepared for
The Department of Transportation
July 2018
Item 59.7 Bearings:
The bearings are considered to be in satisfactory to poor condition. The expansion and fixed shoes exhibit paint system failure with moderate to heavy rusting. There is heavy rusting with laminar corrosion at exterior of the pin and bearing saddle interface. The expansion bearing roller guides are not plumb. The north truss expansion bearing exterior rollers have rotated in the contraction direction beyond their limit and appear to be frozen based on the amount of surface rust and accumulated debris. The south truss expansion bearing exterior rollers have also rotated in the contraction direction but to a lesser degree and also appear to be frozen based on the amount of surface rust and accumulated debris. Refer to Appendix A for representative condition photographs.
Originally posted 7/16/2019...reposted.
Update July 17
So yesterday Mr Young (gov's office) said he would call me right back. He was going to get me the telephone number to the right person in the NHDOT bridge inspection department. It has been 24 hours. I think he tripped into a situation a lot more complicated than he could imagine.
Update
Just imagine if Gov. Sununu fired for cause a bunch of NHDOT inspectors and mangers? This scandal would just explode. NH is a extremely weak governor system. The governor is mostly powerless. I doubt the governor has the power to fire anyone except his staff?
Has anyone asked why this bridge wasn't on the NH red list. This is how they apportion bridge funding to communities mostly. They were falsifying inspection.
So mike, why didn't it get on the red list. Because they would have no bases that any changes occurred. It would illuminate their systemic bridge inspections falsification game.
Just like today, if they shutdown the bridge. I could ask the NHDOT what changes occurred on this new inspection compared to the last inspection. They-we wouldn't find any significant changes from the last inspection. The game would be up!!!
...Mr Young gave me a phone call this morning. He is in Gov. Sununu office. He seemed irritated with me. He wanted me to cold call somebody in the NHDOT bridge building office, he wasn't associated with the bridge inspection department on Friday. I told him is he sending me on a witch hunt. He had a hard time understanding the bridge building department won't much be involved in the bridge inspection bureaucracy. I asked him if he called the "so called" bridge building guy to set the stage for me. I said, I know these guys. They are going to think of me as a nut case or crazy ass blogger. The will just blow me off the crazy talk. I am going to tell him some of his inspections are being falsified. He is shut up like a clam. He told he is going to figure this out...he will give the bridge building guy a phone call. I'll get you a number to call. That was around 9am. It now about 2pm. I'll bet after a few calls he found a manager associated with our bride. I'll bet the bridge inspection guy is giving him a little education on the design of our bridge and updating new events.
Michael Mulligan <steamshovel2002@yahoo.com>
To:preston.young@nh.gov
Jul 15 at 12:16 PM
Mr. Young,
I see you and your associates first emailed me with a program who could erase your email and all my return linked emails. You didn't get them all yet. Now the governor's office is implicated in a coverup. It is now time to get the lawyers involved. You are a amateur...all rank amateurs.
God help Gov. Sununu if there becomes a mass casualty event for the Brattleboro-Hinsdale bridge.
Hoyle Tanner is the firm who did the bridge inspections and I talked to them on the bridge.
Jul 15 at 10:15 AMDear Sir,My hobby for years was to replace this bridge(s). I was the spark who created the community rebellion that created the replacement project. I know you guys recently completely the NHDOT five year inspection associates with these bridges. Hopefully it is last. I know NHDOT is one of the most corrupt state agencies in the nation. Their bridge inspection agency is really bad. I have proof of this. These guys have been serially falsifying bridge inspections for years.I overheard your employee talking about the conditions under the deck. I got pictures of that too. Basically that area is horrendously rotted out, unsafe and needing maybe a year shutdown for a rehab job. We are facing a shutdown of the bridge even as the new construction project is building up steam. I believe the bridge now is unsafe and needs to be shutdown. It certainly is going to collapse before the new bridge is open. The state has been subtilty gaming bridge inspection for political reasons and favors for decades.I have specific issues with the moving and stationary barings… the rocker and roller baring. The stationary bearings have way more corrosion damage than admitted in any NHDOT inspection report. I'd seen it close up with my own eyes and camera. Did you know the Brattleboro bridge is grossly out of plumb? It tilts toward the downriver side. Is this in your inspection report?There is a really thick plate guiding the gigantic truss into the bearing, then to footing truss bracket, that is terribly bent. With all that corrosion and metal rot, you have no idea of the operability with the stationary bearing. The same happy-land identical inspection wording of basically "heavy rust and leaks" is seen in inspection reports for decades on end. They are gaming inspections reports for a unseen agenda. I hope your company is not going to be involve with a mass causality event in the near future? We got a 1.5 million cars per year going across the bridges. Is this condition going to be accuracy represented in your current inspection report to the state? It never has been accurately represented in any NHDOT inspection report. The 1920 era bridge in the early years was severely damage in a catastrophic flooding event.This is an example of how pathetic and dangerous the NHDOT is. They rehabbed the fragile footing years ago with new concrete. This is the long bridge abutting Brattleboro, east side. They placed the concrete footing touching the roller or rocker bearings. The roller or rocker bearings has been blocked with the footing for decades. The footing made this safety device to non functioning for DECADES. There is nothing relieving the typical bridge stresses including thermal expansion and contraction. The thermal expansion joint seen from the roadway which gives some leeway between the footing and bridge...it is just for show. I actually see damage with the footing from the bride expansion and contraction. It is a disgrace. Are true and actual condition with these bearing going to be accurately represented in your inspection report? The NHDOT has been falsifying their inspections report on these bearings for years. Remember I got pictures of it.Believe me, don't bury this email in you system. I am a season whistleblower dealing with hundreds of million dollar cases over many years. Show this to your higher ups. Do not cover your asses. Please do not be implicated in a coverup. I know federal funding is involved with NHDOT bridge inspections. I know the Governor's office is reluctantly in investigation my allegations. I am going after the NHDOT and its bridge inspection department. I am sure your employees felt the severe bridge vibrations and swaying from their cherry picker inspecting the highest reach of these gigantic truss.
Here below is my blog. This email is going to be posted on it. I wrote most of my posts towards the end of July (pictures). I am open to talk with anyone. If you google Mike Mulligan, Brattleboro-Hinsdale bridge or something similar and Mike Mulligan, Brattleboro Reformer you will see how long I've been involved. I got all of my heart into saving lives. My community and beyond expects a completely accurate and comprehensive representation on the abysmal conditions of the bridge. I better not see you cutting and pasting words and phrases from any past falsified inspection reports because everyone else does it to compete. That is a new beginning!!!Unbelievably skimpy NHDOT inspection reports and this makes the inspections report horrendously vulnerable to bridge inspection fraud and falsifications. The skimpiness, shallowness and inaccurate framework of the inspection reports was an intentional tool by the NHDOT to create bridge inspection systemic fraud and falsification towards a aim of political corruption.Movable BearingNESTED ROLLERBEARINGS WITH TRUSS PIN AT EAST ABUTMENT BOTTOM PLATES HOLED AT NORTHEAST ROLLER BEARING, REPAIRED AND PAINTED. PLATES BETWEEN ROLLER BEARING PIN AND TOP CHORD END DIAGONAL RUSTED WITH HEAVY SECTION LOSS AT NORTHEAST, CLEANED AND PAINTED. MODERATE RUST AT BEARINGS.Fixed BearingFIXED PIN BEARINGS AT WEST ABUTMENT MODERATE RUST AND SCALE AT INTERIORS
Michael Mulligan <steamshovel2002@yahoo.com>
To:preston.young@nh.govSincerely,Mike Mulligan (aka bridge angel)5 Wood LaneHinsdale, NH16032094206 (cell)Hinsdale, NH
Hoyle Tanner is the company who inspected our bridges. I am a little bit out of the box with contacting the bridge inspection company on a inspection report that hasn't come out yet. One can only imagine how traumatic this note could be for a company and it political ramification.
Hoyle Tanner is the company who inspected our bridges
Jul 15 at 10:15 AM
Dear Sir,My hobby for years was to replace this bridge(s). I was the spark who created the community rebellion that created the replacement project. I know you guys recently completely the NHDOT five year inspection associates with these bridges. Hopefully it is last. I know NHDOT is one of the most corrupt state agencies in the nation. Their bridge inspection agency is really bad. I have proof of this. These guys have been serially falsifying bridge inspections for years.I overheard your employee talking about the conditions under the deck. I got pictures of that too. Basically that area is horrendously rotted out, unsafe and needing maybe a year shutdown for a rehab job. We are facing a shutdown of the bridge even as the new construction project is building up steam. I believe the bridge now is unsafe and needs to be shutdown. It certainly is going to collapse before the new bridge is open. The state has been subtilty gaming bridge inspection for political reasons and favors for decades.I have specific issues with the moving and stationary barings… the rocker and roller baring. The stationary bearings have way more corrosion damage than admitted in any NHDOT inspection report. I'd seen it close up with my own eyes and camera. Did you know the Brattleboro bridge is grossly out of plumb? It tilts toward the downriver side. Is this in your inspection report?There is a really thick plate guiding the gigantic truss into the bearing, then to footing truss bracket, that is terribly bent. With all that corrosion and metal rot, you have no idea of the operability with the stationary bearing. The same happy-land identical inspection wording of basically "heavy rust and leaks" is seen in inspection reports for decades on end. They are gaming inspections reports for a unseen agenda. I hope your company is not going to be involve with a mass causality event in the near future? We got a 1.5 million cars per year going across the bridges. Is this condition going to be accuracy represented in your current inspection report to the state? It never has been accurately represented in any NHDOT inspection reportThe 1920 era bridge in the early years was severely damage in a catastrophic flooding event.This is an example of how pathetic and dangerous the NHDOT is. They rehabbed the fragile footing years ago with new concrete. This is the long bridge abutting Brattleboro, east side. They placed the concrete footing touching the roller or rocker bearings. The roller or rocker bearings has been blocked with the footing for decades. The footing made this safety device to non functioning for DECADES. There is nothing relieving the typical bridge stresses including thermal expansion and contraction. The thermal expansion joint seen from the roadway which gives some leeway between the footing and bridge...it is just for show. I actually see damage with the footing from the bride expansion and contraction. It is a disgrace. Are true and actual condition with these bearing going to be accurately represented in your inspection report? The NHDOT has been falsifying their inspections report on these bearings for years. Remember I got pictures of it.Believe me, don't bury this email in you system. I am a season whistleblower dealing with hundreds of million dollar cases over many years. Show this to your higher ups. Do not cover your asses. Please do not be implicated in a coverup. I know federal funding is involved with NHDOT bridge inspections. I know the Governor's office is reluctantly in investigation my allegations. I am going after the NHDOT and its bridge inspection department. I am sure your employees felt the severe bridge vibrations and swaying from their cherry picker inspecting the highest reach of these gigantic truss.Here below is my blog. This email is going to be posted on it. I wrote most of my posts towards the end of July (pictures). I am open to talk with anyone. If you google Mike Mulligan, Brattleboro-Hinsdale bridge or something similar and Mike Mulligan, Brattleboro Reformer you will see how long I've been involved. I got all of my heart into saving lives. My community and beyond expects a completely accurate and comprehensive representation on the abysmal conditions of the bridge. I better not see you cutting and pasting words and phrases from any past falsified inspection reports because everyone else does it to compete. That is a new beginning!!!Sincerely,Mike Mulligan (aka bridge angel)5 Wood LaneHinsdale, NH16032094206 (cell)Hinsdale, NH
Hinsdale-Brattleboro 12210C
Movable Bearing
NESTED ROLLER BEARINGS WITH TRUSS PIN AT EAST ABUTMENT BOTTOM PLATES HOLED AT NORTHEAST ROLLER BEARING, REPAIRED AND PAINTED. PLATES BETWEEN ROLLER BEARING PIN AND TOP CHORD END DIAGONAL RUSTED WITH HEAVY SECTION LOSS AT NORTHEAST, CLEANED AND PAINTED. MODERATE RUST AT BEARINGS.An aid to the Gov. Sununu.
Fixed Bearing
FIXED PIN BEARINGS AT WEST ABUTMENT MODERATE RUST AND SCALE AT INTERIORS
Michael Mulligan <steamshovel2002@yahoo.com>
To:preston.young@nh.gov
Jul 13 at 7:40 AM
Bridge bearing
A bridge bearing is a component of a bridge which typically provides a resting surface between bridge piers and the bridge deck. The purpose of a bearing is to allow controlled movement and thereby reduce the stresses involved. Movement could be thermal expansion or contraction, or movement from other sources such as seismic activity. There are several different types of bridge bearings which are used depending on a number of different factors including the bridge span. The oldest form of bridge bearing is simply two plates resting on top of each other. A common form of modern bridge bearing is the elastomeric bridge bearing. Another type of bridge bearing is the mechanical bridge bearing. There are several types of mechanical bridge bearing, such as the pinned bearing, which in turn includes specific types such as the rocker bearing, and the roller bearing. Another type of mechanical bearing is the fixed bearing, which allows rotation, but not other forms of movement...
That report on New bridge designs, where we got the bridge inspection report yesterday, the contractor that did that job was funded by NH, Vt and mostly federal funding. I am certain enormous amounts of federal funding are involved with NH bridge inspections. I doubt actually highly trained and educated federal bridge inspectors ever touched our bridges. Can you even imagine the political controversy developed between contradictory bridge inspections between the Feds and state? These guys protect each other asses by the feds not getting involved with bridge inspections. Like I asked, who oversees the overseers? Basically the feds roll out the bridge inspection codes, rules and funding without ever inspecting if the money was spent wisely and everything is up to federal bridge codes. I doubt it is required that the states followed the US bridge codes and inspection rules. NH bridge inspection rules must be pitiful? I doubt a state inspector falsifying a bridge inspection report is even illegal both in the state and federal laws. More worrisome, I doubt the actual NH bridge inspectors have the intense training and higher education needed for the job other than high school...little bridge inspector professionalism and a intense need to feed their families with their pitiful wages they make . Where do this bridge inspectors come from? Probably heavy equipment operators and essentially highway ditch diggers. I really don't mean to demean these good and loyal employees, I am just trying to make a point about the system.What I am certain is these bridges' won't last another five years until the new bridges' are opened, as I wrote to Mr Broodey. What has changed in the last few years is the traffic rate going across the bridges? The "Runnings" store, much like a high end Walmart has recently opened. Traffic (vehicles per day) rate across those bridges has drastically increased, including all the cars who go to the Runnings store. A lot of big tractor trailers loaded to the gills had to go over these bridges with these new consumer and recreational products. The biggest bridge traffic rate concern of mine, is the unprecedented economic growth we are now seeing throughout the country and my surroundings. Unprecedented! Does anyone anticipate what the traffic (vpd) rate would look like in the near future with the upcoming booming economic growth years? How big will the boom be? Will the burdens of the drastic increase with the "vehicles per day" rate crossing these bridges, be the straw that broke bridges'/camel's back.What is really needed is a drastic reform with NHDOT's bridge inspector department. These guys are living in the stone age. The state really has to jack up the professionalism and transparency on this very important NHDOT department.I giving Gov Sununu the opportunity to get ahead of the trend?Mike Mulligan (aka bridge angel)Hinsdale, NH16032094206
2 comments:
Left this comment earlier but want to make sure you get it so reposting here again.
In 1983, traveling to Vermont from New York, in two vehicles, partner in Datsun truck, me in Honda civic with 3 year old in back seat, vehicles loaded, we crossed over the Miamus Bridge in Connecticut. We had agreed to meet at a stop further up the highway. First thing I said to my partner was...did you feel the bridge shaking when we crossed over? He said no, and I told him I thought it might have been a car issue but seems to be alright now. It was a mystery but I found it disconcerting to say the least. We were here for two weeks, far from the Madding Crowd and far from a telephone or newspapers and no tv or radio in a rural location. Our first summer visitors arrived and told us of the mess it was to get from New York having to detour due to the bridge collapse. We were stunned to say the least since we then found out it had collapsed just a few hours after we passed over the bridge. Too close for comfort. My little Honda registered that something was amiss. Later, it was discovered that the regular bird count of Starlings who nested in the bridge had suddenly dropped way way down to very few, and they couldn't figure out why. Now we know the Starlings were the canaries in the coal mine. Perhaps a similar survey of the Hinsdale bridge would discover a similar warning? All the best to you. Crazy or not.
Thank for the informative comment. God only knows how long your bridge was shaking abnormally.
Our bridge has been abnormally vibrating for years. It is really bad walking across the bridge. Vibrations and shaking recently got much worst. Tons of people made complaints to the state and I think the state buried them all for a pollical aim. Generally you call the bridge department to make a complaint...they then say they write up a concern. There is no way outsiders can verify their complaint is in NHDOT document system. This kind of system if rife with corruption.
NH has been severely underfunding their roads and bridge system years. Tremendous road and bridge construction towards the big city east side of the state and the our golden coast. The rural areas are under developed because most of the money goes to the powerful and highly populated side of the eastern side of the NH. I think the bridge inspectors and their management falsify inspections in order to do "good" so as to not disrupt the population with bridge closures and all that negative public feedback. It is a function of not having enough funding for the infrastructure. And it is the cheapskate and corrupt republicans who massively control state government.
Mike Mulligan
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