As the Federal Railroad Administration pursues regulations regarding inspection of concrete railroad ties, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority last month launched a $91-million project to replace 147,000 concrete ties that began failing in just 10 years. Photo: Courtesy VHB Thousands of precast concrete ties began to fail in just 10 years. In 1997, the MBTA chose concrete over timber ties because Rocla Concrete Tie Inc., a Denver-based precast-concrete manufacturer, claimed they had a 50-year life span compared to 30 years for timber ties. But in 2007, several thousand ties began cracking and crumbling, disrupting train service on the 61-mile Old
Despite improperly placed concrete and a software design issue, the Rhode Island Dept. of Transportation and its contractor are anticipating that construction of the new $163.7-million Sakonnet River Bridge will stay on budget and on schedule. Photo: Courtesy RIDOT Contractor is repairing errors in concrete pours and girder design. The Sakonnet Bridge, a 2,065-ft steel-truss bridge, carries nearly 40,000 cars per day on Routes 24 and 138 between Portsmouth and Tiverton in eastern Rhode Island. Weight limits have been reduced to 18 tons, which leaves out large trucks. Construction of the replacement, a steel-tub-girder design, began in 2009, with completion
