Last week, inspectors checked the underside of the Veterans' Memorial Bridge from various points on land and
water. They hammered at the location shown above and dislodged concrete, shown below.
The area within the caution tape and sawhorses in the background contains concrete fragments that had previously fallen from the bridge. Closer views of the fragments can be seen
HERE.
Concrete has also fallen from the bridge at other areas, including near the arches close to Rotary Park.
Re-bar is visible overhead at some locations where concrete has broken off.
Concrete has broken off at some of the bridge supports, also.
Networks of cracks are visible on the sides of several support piers.
Road salt is stored under a few of the arches. Could it be accelerating erosion of the concrete above it?
On the upper side of the bridge, steel cover plates are missing from large junction boxes containing electrical wiring. The boxes line the sidewalk that runs from Columbia to Wrightsville.
Cover plates are missing from many recessed compartments in the side of the bridge, along the sidewalk. These compartments, also, contain electrical wires that most likely feed bridge lamps.
Some of the junction boxes show signs of possible prying, as shown here and below. The boxes have also become convenient trash receptacles.
More exposed wiring
Damage is apparent on the Columbia and Wrightsville ends of the bridge, as well as at several points in between. The bridge is under PennDOT's jurisdiction, but its current condition will undoubtedly reflect negatively on the river towns of Columbia and Wrightsville during the upcoming 150th anniversary of the burning of the Civil War bridge.
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