COLUMBIA SPY

But seriously . . . Is the bridge falling apart?

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.

What I Saw Recently

Some recent shots from around town over the past few days . . .

Checking sinkers and bobbers

Banners were recently installed on Locust Street in anticipation of the 150th anniversary of the bridge burning and the Battle of Gettysburg.

A new sidewalk is being installed near Rotary Park. Will it be done in time for the 150th?

The event is "right around the corner": this coming Friday.

More work is being done across the street.

Janson's Park - Not everyone plays video games. Nothing like a good ol' fashioned game of hopscotch.

Mallards nestling at River Park

Ongoing construction of the Taj Mahal addition to the Columbia Water Company. I feel like it's costing me money just to look at it. It's not even finished and there's already been a request for us to start paying for it. Good thing the PUC is looking into it.

By the way, what security measures have been put in place to make sure we don't have another mini-crisis relating to the water supply, like we did in mid-March of this year? Better locks? Cameras? Lights? Security guards? Anything? What requests for such information has our borough council demanded from the water company? What information has council gathered about this, other than vague assurances that our water supply is safe?

Articles about the issue have appeared on this blog HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE, along with dozens of comments.
A curious comment HERE appeared on this blog on April 9, 2013 relating to security (or lack thereof) at the water tanks near Laurel Hill Cemetery. Since the commenter listed his identity as "Anonymous," I can't vouch for the veracity of the claims, but the comment bears a second look:

AnonymousApril 9, 2013 at 4:08 AM

I'm sorry but while I agree it needs much better security, I think the ensuing panic is just another sign of post 9/11 American hysteria. As a much younger man, myself and a group of friends would frequent that complex, through laurel hill as you mentioned, and I'm ashaned to say at one point, we broke the same lock. Never was a word breathed to the public.Simple teenage curiosity. And the bolt cutters used came from about ten feet away. I myself immediately recalled that time and consumed the water freely. I refuse to let the terrorists win.

Meanwhile, borough workers continue brush clearing and fence building near River Park to make space for Civil War-style encampments.

Under the Veterans' Memorial Bridge - a snake fashioned from a mulch-filled sleeve

(to guard the graffiti, I suppose).

Over on Mill Street, no one has yet decided whether to mow the sidewalk, pave it over, or break out the Roundup.

Same thing on Second Street.

But further up on Second, someone has finally done it right and kept after the sidewalk.

Nicely done.

Alas, no one has kept up with this grass-covered alleyway. It runs from Second Street to Bank Avenue/North Bank Street and looks as though it should be part of J Avenue, but does not appear as such on Google maps. In fact, it doesn't appear at all. So, is it private property? (If so, it's not posted.) Or is it a forgotten public alley that should have been paved?