Archinect - News

Florida DOT plans to replace collapsed FIU pedestrian bridge

2020-05-13T14:44:00-04:00

The Florida DOT (FDOT) announced last week that it will build a replacement for the pedestrian bridge that collapsed in March 2018 while under construction on the Florida International University campus in Miami. [...] The department said that it will oversee and manage the construction of the new bridge and will incorporate the recommendations offered up by the National Transportation Safety Board [...].

The collapse of the pedestrian bridge on Florida International University's Miami campus killed six people in March 2018.

FIU bridge collapse tied to flawed design and minimal project oversight

2019-10-24T12:24:00-04:00

The National Transportation Safety Board members that have been investigating a March 15, 2018 bridge collapse at Florida International University have concluded that the design firm FIGG Bridge Engineers, Inc. responsible for the project underestimated the loads created by the bridge's concrete structural system and overestimated the strength of their designs along a critical section that had shown signs of splintering, NBC News reports.

The bridge was, according to previous reports, designed under the Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) method that utilizes prefabricated components, a key reason the bridge was built out of concrete and not steel as is more often the case for similar spans.

Prior to the bridge's deadly collapse, investigators found that contractors had discovered large cracks 40-times larger than what is normally accepted for this type of application in a concrete section of the bridge. Despite the cracking, no one involved the project made an attempt to close th...

Contractor of collapsed FIU bridge in Miami files for bankruptcy

2019-03-04T17:59:00-05:00

Facing lawsuits from a collapsed bridge it helped build, Munilla Construction Management is asking a bankruptcy judge to protect it from creditors while borrowing millions of dollars to make payroll, continue building and not shut its doors after decades as one of South Florida’s largest government contractors.

The bankruptcy proceedings come on the eve of the first anniversary of the tragic Florida International University pedestrian bridge collapse on March 15, 2018. Six people were killed in the accident.

Contractors of collapsed Miami bridge fined for worker-safety violations

2018-09-21T13:29:00-04:00

The contractors who designed and built the disastrous Florida International University bridge have been cited by federal authorities for several “serious” worker-safety violations and face tens of thousands of dollars in fines. [...] The FIU pedestrian bridge collapsed March 15 while it was still under construction over Southwest Eighth Street, killing five motorists below and a worker, Navaro Brown, who had been standing atop the span.

This round of OSHA citations is likely only the beginning of legal actions resulting from the deadly collapse of the new Florida International University pedestrian bridge in March 2018. Investigations of the National Transportation Safety Board are ongoing and, depending on its findings, could lead to a criminal case.

Lawsuit over reports on FIU bridge collapse declared confidential

2018-05-03T16:53:00-04:00

Nearly two months after a brand-new South Florida bridge collapsed onto a busy roadway — killing six people — the Florida Department of Transportation is still refusing to release documents that could shed light on the tragic accident. Now, the Miami Herald is taking the state to court. On Wednesday, the Herald filed suit against FDOT in Tallahassee's Leon County Circuit Court to compel the release of emails, meeting minutes and other records relating to the bridge's design and construction.

Just days before the FIU bridge collapsed, cracks had been observed on the structure. A meeting was held by the university and the FDOT the morning of the collapse on whether these cracks were a safety risk. The Miami Herald requested records from that meeting and other documents, which have been deemed confidential by the National Transportation Safety Board.

A new proposal for Miami's collapsed bridge by Dover, Kohl & Partners

2018-04-09T15:43:00-04:00

Last week, street planners Victor Dover and Kenneth García of the Miami firm Dover, Kohl & Partners published a proposal for redesigning the area. The pair criticized not only the “accelerated bridge construction” technique used in the FIU-Sweetwater UniversityCity Bridge, but the fundamental design of the street it once spanned.

Following the Miami FIU bridge collapse three weeks ago, investigations have been conducted on what went wrong. Looking ahead to reconstruction, the Miami based design firm Dover, Kohl & Partners proposes a new pedestrian friendly design for Eighth Street. Focusing on greater harmony between pedestrians, bikers, public transit, and cars, the firm's goal is to make the entire area safer and more appealing.

The design calls for reducing the eight-lanes of traffic down to five, a middle section designated to public transportation, with bike lanes and trees added along the roadway. Rather than rebuilding the pedestrian bridge, multiple street level crosswalks would be added for residents and students. The firm does not expect this design to be pursued, however their aim is to put forth a solution to a problem they see across the country.

Investigators confirm that Miami bridge collapsed during post-tensioning

2018-03-23T14:32:00-04:00

The National Transportation Safety Board reports that its investigators remain at the scene of the deadly Miami pedestrian bridge collapse that occurred last week on the Florida International University campus.

NTSB investigators and contractors remove and catalog core samples from the pedestrian bridge deck. Photo courtesy of NTSB.

The latest statement issued by the agency lists 'significant developments' in the investigation and describes what happened right before the bridge collapsed: "The investigative team has confirmed that workers were adjusting tension on the two tensioning rods located in the diagonal member at the north end of the span when the bridge collapsed. They had done this same work earlier at the south end, moved to the north side, and had adjusted one rod. They were working on the second rod when the span failed and collapsed. The roadway was not closed while this work was being performed."

Read the full statement here.

Collapsed Miami bridge was built using Accelerated Bridge Construction

2018-03-19T14:52:00-04:00

The pedestrian bridge that collapsed at Florida International University in Miami on Thursday was built using Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) technology, according to a statement from the university. Unlike traditional methods of construction, ABC streamlines the building process so that bridge projects can be completed quicker and more cost effectively.

The FIU bridge which collapsed last week was engineered using Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC), a method used by many companies for its time and cost efficiency. Weighing 950 tons, the bridge was meant to connect FIU's campus to an adjoining neighborhood where many students live.

Of the many types of ABC technology, Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems (PBES) appears to be the method used in construction of the FIU bridge. This method allows prefabrication of elements off-site which are then transported and quickly assembled on site.

A fact sheet on FIU's website relates the bridge cost $14.2 million to build and was funded by a $19.4 million grant from the US Department of Transportation. It was also apparently supposed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane and last more than 100 years. The bridge was designed by FIGG Bridge Engineers in Tallahassee and built by MCM in Miami.

New FIU bridge collapses in Miami killing several people

2018-03-15T15:24:00-04:00

MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Florida International University’s (FIU) massive new pedestrian bridge collapsed Thursday afternoon killing several people.The 950-ton bridge, located at 109th Ave and 8th Street, collapsed on a number of cars. Florida Highway Patrol confirms several people are dead due to the collapse. They also said several cars have been crushed. At least one person was taken as a trauma alert to the hospital, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

The collapsed bridge had recently been erected this past Saturday and was constructed "using an innovative approach to bridge construction", which was meant to alleviate traffic and reduce risk. The recent positioning of the bridge was the largest pedestrian bridge move by Self-Propelled Modular Transportation in U.S. history.

FIU issued a statement to about the deadly incident saying, “We are shocked and saddened about the tragic events unfolding at the FIU-Sweetwater pedestrian bridge. At this time we are still involved in the rescue efforts and gathering information. We are working closely with authorities and first responders on the scene. We will share updates as we have them.”