Somerville infrastructure going to hell

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

"State inspectors are looking for loose concrete on an overpass on the McGrath Highway in Somerville, after debris fell from the bridge earlier today.

Adam Hurtubise, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said inspectors will remove any loose material to prevent another fall.

He said an engineer hired by the agency was performing a routine inspection of the bridge when he heard the debris shatter. Hurtubise couldn't say exactly when the fall occured.

A chunk of concrete about half the size of a cinder block fell from the bridge, Hurtubise said. It was last inspected about a year ago. "


http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/somerville/2010/01/debris_falls_from_mcgrath_high.html


PS. Interesting SN thread regarding this: http://www.thesomervillenews.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&ArticleID=3000

Comments

[pjmorgan.livejournal.com]

Indeed. I can't speak as well on the topic as others in I hear at the various meetings, but basically this overpass is ugly as sin and should be torn down and Mgrath-Obrien converted into a ground level boulevard, slowing traffic down, humanizing these intersections, and removing the terrible barrier that isolates easternmost Somerville from the Union Square area. I'm not concerned about making things easy quick and easy for cars-creating car friendly roadshe creates its own demand. We have more cars driving through Somerville on 28 because of this terrible thing. Hopefully once design for green line is completed, there will be ability to focus some rallying behind efforts to get this thing taken down. In the meantime we have to make sure they don't design it to preclude the change.