Following up on the collapse of the overpass in Laval, Quebec last year, the Provincial Inquiry, chaired by Pierre Marc Johnson dropped their report off at the government. The backstory: A four-lane overpass collapsed September 30, 2006, killing five and seriously injuring several more. There was no indication anything was amiss until the road disappeared under the cars and trucks.
Johnson’s report lists "a total lack of quality control"; shoddy construction and low quality concrete used to build the overpass 35 years ago. Johnson also pressed the button on poor inspections, a bad repair in 1992 and people and organizations that "failed to assume their responsibilities during construction (and) during the bridge’s service life" No real surprises there.
Infrastructure is not glamorous, like a conference centre or a professional sports team, which means politicians are always willing to cut the day to day maintenance of infrastructure when it comes time to decide between votes or money. As for the initial construction and engineering sign off, someone didn’t do their job. Structural engineers know how much, or how big things have to be. They have books of reference materials that tell them.
This wasn’t a one-off modern engineering marvel of the reinforced concrete arts: It was a run of the mill, done-that-before, four lane overpass. One of hundreds of structures along our highways. There are so many of them in our cities and towns that we don’t see them.
Until they fall down and kill five people.
Which leads us back to who is responsible. Technically the concrete suppliers, the engineers and the inspectors are the ones who will catch the manure mist on this one. However, those of us who vote for candidates who promise all kinds of tax cuts also have to take a small slice of the sandwich.
We need to tell our elected representatives that we will pay taxes, even increased taxes, if the money is used for sensible things. Yes, we will grumble about taxes going up, but if taxes go up for things that matter, then it’s OK in the grand scheme of things.
There sits the problem: Politicians as a species have the backbone of half-set gelatin and the long term memory of a a ferret with ADHD. The distant future timeline for the few good politicians is What’s for Lunch. The usual politicians’ distant future timeline is what will get me applause in the next 45 seconds.
Remember that when you vote for someone with a ‘vision for the future of our fair city’ They’re thinking about a sandwich, not your best interests, or doing what is right.
RoadDave 