Truth
How much more evidence do Elkhart County officials need before they decide that the Johnson Street Bridge should be their highest priority?
Last weekend, city firefighters were told to keep all fire trucks off the northbound lanes of the bridge until further notice. Previously, they were told to keep fire trucks on the inside-most northbound lane.
At the same time they were told to stick to the inner-most lane, the county put in place an 11-ton weight limit. It's kind of scary when you're sitting on the bridge thinking about that weight limit and there's 20 or more other cars, trucks, vans and SUVs weighing thousands of pounds each idling all around you on the bridge during rush hour.
Fire trucks weigh an average of 17 tons. An aerial truck weighs 37 tons. Ambulances come in just under the weight limit at 9 tons. Makes you feel better to know that response time for ambulances won't be affected because they can still drive on the bridge, doesn't it? Response time for fire trucks will be affected, however, making the bridge more of a public safety concern by delaying emergency response.
The bridge has been under tougher scrutiny since early this year, when one of three piers that support it was found to be shifting, Extensive cracking also was found in the concrete roadbed and damage found to the supporting steel trusses.
Nevertheless, the county has moved forward with a plan to build new lanes for Six Span Bridge beginning next year, putting off actual construction of new lanes for Johnson until 2009. Engineering is scheduled for this year on Johnson.
The Johnson Street Bridge is constructed the same way as the bridge that collapsed last month in Minneapolis. Pulling the fire trucks off the northbound lanes apparently is a direct result of the Minneapolis accident, even though the action came almost a month later.
Six Span has always been first on the county's priority list because of the heavy traffic load, frequent tie-ups and political concerns. However, public safety should trump ease of traffic movement in this case.
The problems with the Johnson Street Bridge are an unacceptable risk for the people of this county.
We urge the commissioners and the county council, once again, to put all possible resources into fixing the Johnson Street Bridge as soon as possible, putting off Six Span if necessary.