ELKHORN, Neb. (KMTV) — 3 News Now reporter Jill Lamkins sits down with NDOT District 2 Construction Engineer Barbara Gerbino-Bevins to discuss how they determine when its time to fix a bridge.
- Bridges on the list to be replaced in the next five years include the Hwy 31 bridge in Elkhorn, the 72nd & L St. bridge and the 36th & L St. bridge.
- We ask questions from neighbors to see how bridges in their communities are slated for fixtures.
- An update on the 36th & L St. bridge is given.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
There are a handful of bridges in Omaha that the Nebraska Department of Transportation says need complete reconstruction. In Elkhorn, the Hwy 31 bridge is one neighbors worry about, but NDOT says it is safe to drive on and repairs for this and others are in the works.
Built in 1939, this bridge in Elkhorn has seen it's fair share of wear and tear.
3 News Now reporter Jill Lamkins spoke with NDOT District Two Construction Engineer Barbara Gerbino-Bevins who tells us how they determine when it's time to fix a bridge.
And is this something that, you know, a patch showed up? And that's when you started considering construction? Lamkins asked.
“We are federally mandated to do inspections on these bridges every two years,” said Gerbino-Bevins. “They usually shorten that time frame as these bridges near the end of their life.”
For bridges like the Hwy 32 bridge, conditions are checked yearly.
Other bridges on that list for yearly checkups now: 72nd & L St. and 36th & L St.
“When I was looking up the condition ratings for all three bridges, the 72nd & L was the worst and then the Elkhorn viaduct was slightly better than that. And then the 38th & L street bridge was much better than both of them,” said Gerbino-Bevins.
How is the condition rating determined? Is it just these factors that we're seeing on some of these bridges, like the patchwork, the rails? Lamkins asked.
“They inspect the rails, the bridge deck, what we call the superstructure, which is basically the girders,” said Gerbino-Bevins.
NDOT's Bridge Division will then make plans for reconstruction typically 10 years out.
But neighbors Lamkins spoke with on Tuesday are curious why it has to take so long.
“Why haven't these been prioritized it? It's, you know, safety. Are we not important enough?” asked Elkhorn neighbor, Petra Thornicroft.
"We have a limited source of funds and we have to prioritize our bridge replacements based on condition,” said Gerbino-Bevins.
“Would they feel safe enough to, to drive across this bridge?” asked Elkhorn neighbor, Josh Mrsny.
“It's still very safe. Yeah, whenever a patch shows up and it's not unusual for holes to appear in bridge decks like this,” said Gerbino-Bevins.
The Elkhorn bridge is slated for reconstruction in 2026. Same goes for the 72nd & L St. bridge which will be completely removed. 36th & L is still set for 2029.
Gerobino-Bevins also shared an update on the 36th and L St. bridge saying maintenance crews have completed all the patching. They'll come back this fall to then seal the patches and re-evaluate repairs in the spring.
