Evening star., 1927-05-25
TRADE BODY URGES
!. BRIDGE INSPECTION
Committee Wants Chain Span
Closed If Examination
Reveals Danger.

Urgently advocating the early re
placement of the Chain Bridge in
conjunction with definite bridge
building program for the District,
the committee on bridges OF the
washington Board of Trade late yes
tcrday went on record asking the
Commissioners to order an lmniedl'
ate inspection of the bridge to deter
mine its safety and to close 1t TO
traf1ic if found in a dangerous con-
dition.
The action by the bridges commit.
tee. which is in part composed OF
engineers, was taken in adopting a
resolution in which it was declared
that there is a serious question OF
doubt as to the safety or Chaln
Bridge, due to its age. type or con-
struction and the fact that 1t now Is
carving traffic loads far in excess
of the load for which it was designed
to bear" ,
Members of the committee pointed
ont that this bridge is one OF the feW
remaining structures of it's type IN
the country, constructed of hollow
iron tubing instead of steel girders,
reinforced concrete or of concrete
alone. Fears were expressed that
the inside of the iron tubing, into
which water and moisture were said
to seep, may have rusted to such an
extent that the supports or the
bridge may no longer be safe.
Immediate Inquiry Urged.
II was brought out that District
officials have not determined den-
nitely if the tubing of the bridge has
rusted to a dangerous degree or not.
For the safety of the hundreds or
nersons who daily use the bridge, a
careful inspection should be made
at once, the committee decided.
Chain Bridge, it was pointed out,
was built about so years ago. and was
not designed to carry modern traff1c.
r. l.. Ayerill, chairman of the COM
mittee. declared he believed the tub
ing of the bridge must have rusted to
some degree by the moisture to which
il has been subjected in its many
years of service.
Members of the committee also were
informed that the maximum weight
allowed on the bridge already has been
reduced as a safety measure. Fort
Myer Artillery units no longer use
the bridge, the committee was told.
II. r. Howser, jr., assistant engineer
of bridges of the District, who was
called into the committee conference,
during the discussion of the need of
ton of the bridge, asserted that while
the bridge might last 10 years longer
it might become dangerous overnight.
Congress, it was pointed out, has
rejected requests for an adequate ap-
preparation for new bridge, which.
it was estimated, would cost about
$375, 900.
Other Bridges Discussed.
The committee also discussed the
need of repairing Highway Bridge and
the replacement of the Klingle Valley
Bridge and studied plans which the
District Highway Department now is
considering for the building of the M
Street Bridge and the Military Road
Bridge in Rock Creek Park. For the
latter an appropriation Of $4,000 has
been made by Congress, and half of
the S500,000 authorized for the M
Street Bridge has been made avail |
able.
The buckle plates of the Highway |
Bridge are in a very bad condition,
.Mr. Howser told the committee. and
in some places are so weak the wheels
of a heavily-loaded truck may go
through them. To remedy this situa-
ton, he said, the department plans, |
when funds are available, to lay a |
wooden flooring over the metal base
to distribute the weight Of vehicles
and to resurface the bridge with
asphalt.
THE bridge committee adopted a
resolution urging that a general pol
fey be adopted for the bridge replace
ment program, calling for the arched !
type of construction wherever posi-.
BILE, as opposed to the straight beam
type.
The need of construction of side
walks on the Park Road Bridge as a
safety measure for the protection of
pedestrians also was discussed, but
final action on this question and also
on the need of replacing the old Cal
vert Street Bridge was postponed to a |
later meeting.
Robert ]. Cottrell, assistant secre-
tary of the Board of Trade, was made
permanent secretary of the bridge
committee. Mr.. AvereIl presided at |
the session, which was held in the
offices of the board in The Starl
Building.