Residents who live near the Briggs Street bridge that spans I-80 in Joliet, IL have a name for it. They call it “Jenga Bridge” because of the stacked wooden blocks that support part of the structure. And despite the MacGyvered repair job and low inspection ratings, a new truck stop is supposed to go in right next to it.
Joliet is part of the Chicago metro area, so the Love’s Truck Stop slated to open next year off of I-80 will likely see a lot of traffic. Estimates say 600 more trucks and 2,400 more cars will be travelling over the Jenga Bridge after the truck stop’s completion. And Illinois DOT says that that’s okay.
According to CBS 2 Chicago the 54-year-old bridge was last inspected in November. Its span was listed as being in “critical condition,” and its structural integrity was evaluated as “intolerable.” Photos posted by the CBS2 news team show rusted steel beams, cracking cement, and – of course – the stack of wooden blocks that are used to support the massive steel beams.
Residents call it the “Jenga bridge” because of wooden blocks used to shore up the steel beams. IDOT says this Joliet bridge is safe but residents want it replaced BEFORE a truck stop goes in alongside it. Digging into surprising inspection reports at 5 @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/SGXKmMeRW9
— Megan Hickey (@MeganHickeyCBS2) February 20, 2019
According to IDOT, the wooden blocks are a short-term fix. They say that they plan to take care of the problem with a more long-term solution, but the money is tied up in a five-year infrastructure plan. And it will only happen if they can get the funding.
Still, IDOT says the bridge is safe to travel over.
At least the wood beams are fairly new. During that 2018 inspection, maintenance crews had to replace some of them that had been installed incorrectly.
Source: cbs2chicago
Max says
there’s a ‘safe way’ to install tinker toys…er….wooden blocks?
Charles Blackmon says
This is negligent, I guess theyll fix it right when people die and they are sued
Glenn Davis says
Heard Joliet has been strip mining truck drivers going thru there w fees and street regulations to the tune of 2+ million dollars a year, too.
All about public safety.
Ken says
Great, let a truck go through it then the company and driver can pay to fix it right, good idea Illinois
Andrew H says
Best thing Joliet did was renovating Arsenal road into that high traffic capacity monstrosity that was. I still remember the traffic jams on I-80 at that cloverleaf, and the jam going into Arsenal road on I-55.
Jjags says
It’s safe because govt does it, you do it it’s unsafe and you will be fined. If you doubt me you probably don’t live in America. They’re always right and you’re always ??????
dkbean says
Il interstate rte 80 exit 134. Be aware on approach.
Brandy Young says
Or the speed ramp. West bound 80/94 mm. 163. Welcome to illinois
Joeziah says
Short term it is fine, there is this thing called math concerning the compressive load capacity of the wood used, sheer strength etc etc.
Take a chill pill internet armchair engineers.
Jason Aho says
That may be true, but is there math that accounts for the load carrying capability of cracked concrete and rusted steel? Not trying to sound like a smart @$$, just curious. Looking at the pics, I wouldn’t want to walk across this bridge. It might be safe, but the consequences of failure in this case are far too great for me to want to take a chance on it. Personally, I trust the wood blocks more than I do the rest of the bridge from what I can see in the pictures.
Brandy Young says
Nothing but a few termites. Couldn’t fix
Phil Casey says
The Seabees would be proud
R.J. says
Slowly but surely America is becoming a Third World nation…complete with infrastructure.
Elton Clark says
Uh huh. You are exactly correct. The reason their DOT is ok with it is for just the reason you mentioned. My suggestion is to always access that truckstop from it’s I-80 exit. DO NOT GO THRU TOWN! if you must, call the DOT first and make them give you a route that will guarantee your financial safety. Make them earn your dollars, or…do like i do and just don’t go there. Good luck.
Stephen Rodgers says
Exit 112 TA Morris, IL.
Elton Clark says
Uh huh. We almost hv a dictator too.
Tommy B says
All you got to do is get in a boat going down the river look underneath the bridge and you can see it’s going to happen just like the bridge in Minnesota just a matter of time not only that those real containers are about 90,000 to 100000 pounds that go over that go into that railyard
Nemo says
You don’t want to be the driver that jenga’a this bridge. It will all be your fault.
Viking says
I’ve said it before… It’s all about revenue.. ill. Is going to press it’s luck with this.. just like every other metropolis does.. they’ll hedge there bets and weigh the profits versus the loss’s by doing nothing.. they fully recognize the outcome of a catastrophic failure.. they know that there will likely be deaths. There is a very realistic expectation of significant litigation.. but there are two things that factor into their decision to do nothing… One is plausible deniability (we were told that the bridge was serviceable by experts) and the other is acceptable loss.. better known as (collateral damage) we know that in combat the term acceptable loss refers to units lost in campaign…and it still being successful. In regards to this bridge- “or any other failing-ailing infrastructure” would the loss of life exceed the limits of acceptable loss, or would it be cheaper to pay restitution.. and absorb more revenue from the new truck stop.. until the bite of building a new bridge is less painful.. this may sound harsh. But it’s how big business is done… It’s NEVER about safety..
It’s ALWAYS about money… You can call me a cynic- but in my 66 years nobody’s convinced me otherwise.
William says
Exactly, Viking
George says
not to worry.forty per-cent of bridges are like this.yet we MUST build a eight billion wall.PRIORITIES..take a look as you go under most of them.
Elton Clark says
We almost hv a dictator too.