# Used Bridge A SMART Buy?



## WhoozOn1st (Feb 15, 2012)

"Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit officials intend to buy a used draw bridge in Galveston, Texas, to replace the 99-year-old swing bridge over the Petaluma River.

"Rather than launch a $20 million rehab of the aging structure at Haystack Landing, and then perhaps spending $30 million to replace it in 20 years, SMART says that for $20 million it can buy and install the used bridge and have it last 75 to 80 years."

SMART buys a (draw)bridge

"'It is a really solid bridge,' said Bill Gamlen, SMART chief engineer. 'We will have to do some mechanical upgrades, but it is a very stout bridge. The BNSF doesn't want to get rid of it, but the Coast Guard is driving the replacement.'"


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## Bob Dylan (Feb 16, 2012)

Patrick: Does the old Saying "Boy Do I have a Bridge for You!" come to mind??  I'd call this another example of Poor Decision making by Government Officals that haven't done their Homework!Imagine the Cost and Logistics of Dismantling, Moving it across Country, Reinstalling etc. And what kind of Extended Warranty can Galveston offer, the City has been Broke ever since the Last Hurricane Basically destroyed lots of Galveston Island!  Just say NO! might be a Good motto in this case!


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## George Harris (Feb 16, 2012)

This is really a very good deal, and an excellent example of thinking like a railroad instead of a public works money sinkhole. Here is what the article says about the bridge:



> The Texas bridge is on the BNSF Railway line linking the Texas mainland to Galveston Island. It was built in 1985 and is being replaced by a new vertical lift bridge to increase the channel width.


Note the bridge is less than 30 years old. Also, it is owned by BNSF, not the city of Galveston. Even if publically owned, it would probably have been by the state of Texas, not the city. The picture in the article tells the story: Shipping interests want the channel widened to be closer to that of the high level highway bridge. Therefore, Uncle Sugar is paying for the replacement. If you want to complain about a boondoggle, complain about that one.

It is very common in the railroad world to move bridge components, and even whole bridges from place to place when improving bridges. A good example is the Kate Shelly Bridge replacement done a few years back. The concrete piers were new, but the steel spans came from another bridge that Union Pacific had taken down. There is a major portion of one bridge across the Tennessee River that is in its third location.

By the way, the vertical lift bridge being installed at Galveston to replace this bridge will be the third navigation span to be installed at that location. the 1985 bridge being bought by SMART replaced the original 1900ish span. The remainder of the structure, which will ocntinue in service, is the original.

Notice that the article states that getting this structure and setting it up is in the same cost range as a rehab of the structure it is being brought in to replace. A major part of the reason for this is that this 1985 structure will need no strengthening or replacement of deteriorated elements.


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## WhoozOn1st (Feb 18, 2012)

George Harris said:


> This is really a very good deal, and an excellent example of thinking like a railroad instead of a public works money sinkhole.


Though certainly no expert, it seemed like a decent deal to me, too. But I must confess that the central reason for posting was inability to pass up the old joke concept of a bridge for sale.


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## George Harris (Feb 25, 2012)

WhoozOn1st said:


> George Harris said:
> 
> 
> > This is really a very good deal, and an excellent example of thinking like a railroad instead of a public works money sinkhole.
> ...


Awwww, I would have never guessed,


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