DelDOT officials say it’s “very clear” they didn’t take appropriate action in handling concerns over the I-495 separated support columns in a preliminary report.
First, Charles Allen, Jr., an Elkton, Maryland man, calls 911 April 15 to tell the agency the median barrier was about 8-10 inches out of alignment. The next day, a contractor was told to inspect the site, but the work order was cancelled quickly afterwards with no comment.
Dave Charles of engineering firm Duffield Associates was working under the bridge and then contacted DelDOT May 29 noting something wrong with the support columns. The agency said it would look at the bridge the following week.
The next day, another 911 call was placed, sending out a driver who said he didn’t notice anything unusual. Transportation Secretary Shailen Bhatt says engineers went out two days later and immediately called for it to be closed.
“It is very clear to me that we did not take appropriate action based on those calls. We should’ve responded with the 911 calls,” said Bhatt.
“We did send people out, but we didn’t send the right people out and that will be a change that we have going forward.”
The preliminary report also points to an estimated 50,000-ton pile of dirt near the support column as the culprit, shifting the loose earth underneath enough to damage them.
DelDOT is looking into legal action against Keough Contracting, which they estimate stockpiled the dirt sometime after the latest bridge inspection in 2012.
Bhatt also notes they’re still reviewing internal conduct leading up to the closure, but no one has been disciplined.
“This is an ongoing HR investigation that we have and we’re looking into the conduct of everyone that was involved and, if there is found to be cause for action, we will take that action,” said Bhatt.
The agency will label any calls concerning the condition of bridges, dams and other large structures a high priority, respond immediately to those types of calls and require more detailed internal communication.
Officials are also looking into installing bridge monitors on I-495 and similar bridges built around poor soil to detect major shifts.
Delaware received $2 million in emergency repair funding from the Federal Highway Administration soon after the closure, with the feds committing another $38 million to the project.
The state will need to match that with $1.5 million.
Bhatt says he’s confident southbound lanes will reopen by Sept. 1, with northbound lanes following shortly thereafter.