THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 31, 1994 TAG: 9407290257
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEPHANIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 121 lines
The 53-year-old Gilmerton Bridge is cranky, its parts worn after thousands of openings and closings to let boaters pass by. The Jordan Bridge, its older sister to the north, has already been shut down.
For years, Portsmouth residents and boaters have been cursing the drawbridges, which create bottlenecks on both land and water. But the situation has gotten worse.
The 66-year-old Jordan, closed in May after a pulley malfunctioned, might appear to be the City of Chesapeake's biggest problem right now. But the Gilmerton is in worse shape - probably worse than any other drawbridge in eastern Virginia, said Jack Meredith of the state Transportation Department.
``The ones we have in surrounding cities are in nowhere as bad shape as the Gilmerton,'' said Meredith, who oversees bridge inspections at the department's regional headquarters in Suffolk.
Jimmy Asimos, a structural engineer for the department, says he knows of no other drawbridge in Virginia that is in worse condition than the Gilmerton.
State and Chesapeake officials say there is no danger to motorists or boaters despite the Gilmerton's ``poor'' condition, which was noted during its last inspection in September 1993. What's more likely: The bridge could break down and refuse to open or close.
``It's like this: You can have a hole in your fender and it isn't a problem,'' Meredith said. ``But if you have a hole in the frame, now that might be a problem.''
A bridge inspector at the Gilmerton, located on South Military Highway, found corrosion in all floor beams that make up the span's superstructure, or top part.
Inspectors rate drawbridges by section, including the superstructure, substructure and deck. The superstructure is the top part of the bridge, including the trusses, floor beams and girders. The substructure is the support or foundation. The deck is the surface - sidewalks, pavement and pedestrian rails.
Each of those sections is rated on a scale of 0 to 9, with 0 indicating a failed bridge and 9 for a sparkling new span with no problems.
A 1 means failure is imminent and the bridge should be closed to traffic. A 2 means the bridge is in critical condition.
The Gilmerton's superstructure received a 3, or is considered to be in ``serious'' condition. That means deterioration and chipping have seriously affected the main structural components - things that hold the bridge together. It also indicates there might be cracks in the span's concrete and steel.
The drawbridge's substructure and decks received 4's, indicating they were in poor condition.
The inspector suggested that state transportation officials ``expedite'' the planned overhaul of the Gilmerton, currently scheduled to begin in late 1997.
JUST NORTH OF the Gilmerton is the Jordan, one of the oldest bridges in the region. The Jordan is known as a ``vertical lift'' bridge because its center section rises in a horizontal position between two towers.
On May 10, the Poindexter Street bridge was closed to vehicle traffic after a pulley malfunctioned. It sits in an open position, allowing boats on the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River to pass.
The City of Chesapeake is still debating the future of the Jordan - whether to repair, replace or abandon it.
When it was inspected in January, it was found to be in fair to poor condition. Divers found that patched areas of the substructure have since deteriorated beyond the original damage.
The bridge's superstructure, substructure and deck received 4's - all in poor condition.
Chesapeake's Public Works director John O'Connor has estimated that fixing the Jordan's pulley would cost $400,000. Keeping the bridge operating for the next five years would cost $2 million.
Some Chesapeake officials would like to see the Jordan replaced with a fixed span with a 145-foot clearance. Although a new bridge would cost $83 million, some officials believe that continuing repairs on the Jordan is a waste of money.
A SITUATION CHESAPEAKE would like to avoid is having two major bridges closed at the same time.
Having the Gilmerton and Jordan closed simultaneously would frustrate thousands of motorists.
The additional traffic would head for the interstates and the Downtown Tunnel.
``We have seen some increase in traffic because the Jordan isn't open,'' said Stanley Artis, facility manager at the Downtown Tunnel. ``A lot of people who work at the Navy Yard used the bridge. Now, some of them come through the tunnel.''
Dwight Farmer, transportation director for the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, says the Jordan's closing has had minor impact on interstate traffic because only 4,000 vehicles crossed the 50-cent toll bridge daily.
A long-term closing of the Gilmerton would frustrate more motorists. About 24,000 or more motorists use that bridge each day.
HOW LONG THE Jordan remains closed depends on how much money city officials can get their hands on. They are still knocking on the doors of the General Assembly and the state Transportation Department. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by STEVE EARLEY
The Jordan Bridge, left, is a ``vertical lift'' bridge, which has a
section of roadway between two towers. The section between those
towers rises in a horizontal position so boats can pass underneath.
The 66-year-old span is closed. The City of Chesapeake is deciding
whether to repair it, replace it or close it permanently. It would
cost $400,000 to fix its malfunctioning pulley and $2 million to
operate the bridge over the next five years.
The Gilmerton Bridge, above, is a ``Bascule'' bridge, which has two
center sections that tilt upward as it opens. The two main pieces
are counterweighted so that each can be raised and lowered easily.
When one end drops, the other end lifts up. The 56-year-old span is
slated for major repairs beginning in late 1997. The bridge on South
Military Highway between Bainbridge Boulevard and Shell Road carries
traffic over the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River.
KEYWORDS: GILMERTON BRIDGE JORDAN BRIDGE
by CNB