Figg ‘stunned’ by FIU bridge collapse

The same company that designed the bridge that collapsed Thursday near Florida International University in Miami also designed the Cascades Park bridge that spans South Monroe Street in Tallahassee.

In a statement, Tallahassee-based Figg Bridge Engineers said it was "stunned" by Thursday's collapse.

"Our deepest sympathies are with all those affected by this accident," officials with the internationally known company wrote in the statement. "We will fully cooperate with every appropriate authority in reviewing what happened and why. In our 40-year history, nothing like this has ever happened before. Our entire team mourns the loss of life and injuries associated with this devastating tragedy, and our prayers go out to all involved.”

City of Tallahassee officials have no reason to believe that the pedestrian bridge over South Monroe has any safety issues, said City Engineer Steve Shafer.

The Florida Department of Transportation, which inspects city bridges every two years, conducted its first inspection of the bridge in December 2016 and found no deficiencies. DOT was set to conduct another inspection in December.

“However, in an abundance of caution, we called them and asked them to expedite this year’s inspection,” Shafer said. “And they agreed to it.”

FDOT inspectors are examining the bridge this afternoon and will continue Friday.

“And they will report back,” Shafer said. “I can tell you we are not concerned. We’re just doing this to make sure everyone else feels as comfortable as we do.”

In Miami, the $14.2 million, 174-foot long, 950-ton bridge spanned the city's Southwest Eighth Street and was designed to be a pedestrian crossing over Tamiami Trail between Sweetwater and FIU's campus.

The bridge's span was uniquely constructed along the side of the road, FIU officials said, using so-called Accelerated Bridge Construction methods. It was rotated and lowered into place across the eight-lane road during a six-hour operation Saturday morning.

The university said the construction method was intended to reduce safety risks to workers, commuters and pedestrians and minimize traffic interruptions. The ongoing project, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and built by MCM Construction, was expected to be completed in 2019.

“FIU is about building bridges and student safety. This project accomplishes our mission beautifully,” FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg said in a university news release posted Saturday. “We are filled with pride and satisfaction at seeing this engineering feat come to life and connect our campus to the surrounding community where thousands of our students live.”

More: New pedestrian bridge collapses at Florida International University; several hur

In 2012, Figg was cited by the Virginia Department of Labor for four violations after a 90-ton piece of concrete fell from a bridge under construction near Norfolk, Virginia, according to media reports.

After the 2007 collapse of the Highway 35 West bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Figg built a $233.8 million 10-lane replacement bridge. It was heralded for its state-of-the-art safety systems, including sensors designed to monitor bridge stress and corrosion.

Figg focuses solely on bridge design and engineering both in the U.S. and abroad. Since 1978, the company has built, studied and designed $10 billion in bridges in 39 states and six countries, according to its website, which was inoperable shortly after the collapse. The firm also designed the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay.

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