All data taken from an MSNBC article available here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20099150

All bridges listed carry at least 10,000 vehicles per day.

From the article:
Keys to using the data below:
Status of "D" means the bridge has been rated structurally deficient; "O" means it has been rated functionally obsolete.

Sufficiency rating is a value obtained by calculating four separate factors (structural adequacy and safety, serviceability and functional obsolescence, essentiality for public use, and special reductions) that is indicative of a bridge's sufficiency to remain in service. A value of 100 represents an entirely sufficient bridge and a zero represents a deficient bridge.

Status  Rating  Road  	Place  	County  	Feature  			Location
O 	93.7 	267 		FAIRFAX 	RTE.657-CENTERVILLE RD. 	02.64FR602/01.42TO28
O 	76.0 	267 		FAIRFAX 	HUNTER MILL ROAD 		03.87FR7/01.46TO828
O 	82.3 	267 		FAIRFAX 	CENTREVILLE RD. RTE.657 	02.74FR DULLES AIRPORT
O 	72.7 			FAIRFAX 	ROUTE I495 			00.47FR495/01.70TO TURKEY
O 	59.9 			FAIRFAX 	ROUTE I495 			00.47FR495/01.70TO TURKEY
O 	46.2 	1 		FAIRFAX 	ACCOTINK CREEK 			00.52FR617/ 01.33TO611
O 	58.0 	7 		FAIRFAX 	RTE I 495 			01.30 66 / 00.87 123
O 	58.0 	7 		FAIRFAX 	CAPITAL BELTWAY 		01.30 66 / 00.94 123
O 	62.0 	7 		FAIRFAX 	ROUTE 267 & DAR 		00.47 684 / 00.70 694
O 	91.7 	7 		FAIRFAX 	INBOUND ROADWAY 		00.10FR703/00.20TO7
D 	20.9 	29 		FAIRFAX 	LITTLE ROCKY RUN 		00.02FR1210 / 00.38TO645
O 	63.0 	29 		FAIRFAX 	I-495 				00.09FR703/00.36TO650
O 	65.1 	50 		FAIRFAX 	ROUTE I-66 			00.58FR.665/00.59TOF769
O 	73.0 	66 		FAIRFAX 	LEE HIGHWAY 			04.73FR234/01.05TO28
O 	70.8 	66 		FAIRFAX 	LEE HIGHWAY 			04.73FR234/01.05TO28
O 	90.2 	66 		FAIRFAX 	"CAPTL.BLTWY. 	OUTER LOOP"
O 	84.5 	66 		FAIRFAX 	"LEESBURG_PIKE 	RTE.7"
D 	49.0 	95 		FAIRFAX 	"FURNACE ROAD 	ROUTE 611"
O 	66.0 	95 		FAIRFAX 	RAMP C OF I-95 SBL 		01.20FR123/02.00TO642
O 	90.0 	95 		FAIRFAX 	RTE. 241 - TELEGRAPH RD. 	03.30FR613/01.40TO1
O 	70.0 	95 		FAIRFAX 	TELEGRAPH ROAD 			03.21FR.613/01.34TO1
O 	80.0 	95 		FAIRFAX 	VAN DORN ST. (RTE. 613) 	02.16FR.I395/03.21TO241
O 	93.5 	95 		FAIRFAX 	"CAPITAL BELTWAY 	RTE 95"
O 	64.0 	95 		FAIRFAX 	CAPITAL BELTWAY__(I-495) 	00.11FR241/01.23TO1
O 	81.0 	123 		FAIRFAX 	SOUTHERN RAILWAY 		00.13FR643/00.18TO660
O 	45.1 	123 		FAIRFAX 	GEO WASH MEM PKWY 		0079ARLING CO 0093/193
O 	60.2 	123 		FAIRFAX 	GEO WASH MEM PKWY 		.81MIFRARLING CO/.15TO695
O 	64.9 	123 		FAIRFAX 	ROUTE 66 			00.61FR.655/00.75TO29/50
O 	61.8 	123 		FAIRFAX 	ROUTE I-66 			00.62 FR 655/00.74 TO 29
O 	59.1 	123 		FAIRFAX 	LEESBURG PIKE (RTE. 7) 		0.68FR677/0.53TOINTER. DR
O 	65.3 	123 		FAIRFAX 	"LEESBURG PIKE 	ROUTE 7"
O 	78.3 	193 		FAIRFAX 	SCOTTS RUN 			00.03FR685/00.19TO6037
D 	34.0 	236 		FAIRFAX 	RTE. I495 & ACCOTINK CK 	00.43 649 / 00.14 904
D 	43.7 	236 		FAIRFAX 	RTE I495 & ACCOTINK CK 		00.53FR.649/00.31TO904
O 	63.2 	241 		FAIRFAX 	CAMERON RUN 			00.01FR1332/00.63TO236
O 	86.8 	267 		FAIRFAX 	MAGARITY RD. (RTE. 650) 	01.82FR66/00.52TO123
O 	86.3 	267 		FAIRFAX 	MAGARITY RD. (RTE.650) 		01.82FR66/00.52TO123
O 	76.3 	267 		FAIRFAX 	DOLLEY MADISON/123 		00.46FR495/02.35TO66
O 	92.9 	267 		FAIRFAX 	HUNTER MILL ROAD 		01.46FR828/03.83TO7
O 	90.3 	267 		FAIRFAX 	HUNTER MILL ROAD 		01.46FR828/03.83TO7
O 	84.0 	267 		FAIRFAX 	RTE.657-CENTERVILLE RD. 	02.63FR602/01.41TO28
O 	82.7 	395 		FAIRFAX 	ROUTE I-395 SBL 		00.44 395 REV/00.26 395 S
O 	81.0 	495 		FAIRFAX 	RTE 2652 (HEMING AVE) 		01.82FR.I95/01.02TO620
O 	90.6 	495 		FAIRFAX 	"RTE 95 SBL & RTE 495 	IL"
O 	78.0 	495 		FAIRFAX 	RTE 50 				00.83FR650/01.29TO66
O 	81.0 	495 		FAIRFAX 	CHAIN BRIDGE RD.(RTE123) 	02.58FR193/00.80TO7
O 	51.0 	495 		FAIRFAX 	CAPTL.BLTWY.OUTER LOOP 		00.20 66 / 00.10 I-495
O 	72.2 	495 		FAIRFAX 	DUL.ACC.RD.&EBL RTE.267 	00.74FR123/01.85TO193
O 	80.0 	495 		FAIRFAX 	WBL RTE 267 & RMP NW 		00.85FR123/01.74TO193
O 	85.3 	495 		FAIRFAX 	RAMP EN OF DULLES TOLL R 	00.58 123 / 02.01 193
O 	94.0 	495 		FAIRFAX 	DAR AND TOLL RD. EXT. EB 	0.10FR267EB 0.05TO495NBL
O 	63.4 	495 		FAIRFAX 	POTOMAC RIVER 			01.25FR193VA/02.14TO190MD
O 	94.9 	495 		FAIRFAX 	RAMP L & M 			00.10FR495NB/00.05TO50WB
O 	94.8 	495 		FAIRFAX 	US-00050-E076C 			0015FR495 0005TO50EBL
O 	73.5 	602 		FAIRFAX 	RTE.267 & DULLES ACC.RD. 	00.06FR675/00.45TO5320
O 	92.8 	602 		FAIRFAX 	RTE.267 & DULLES ACC.RD. 	00.06FR675/00.45TO5320
O 	47.5 	617 		FAIRFAX 	SOUTHERN RAILWAY 		00.21FR1467/ 00.07TO707
O 	76.4 	7783 		FAIRFAX 	LITTLE ROCKY RUN 		01.35FR28/00.40TO659
O 	76.4 	7783 		FAIRFAX 	LITTLE ROCKY RUN 		01.00FR28/00.30T0659
O 	77.0 	620 		FAIRFAX 	CAPITAL BELTWAY RTE 495 	00.44FR2864/00.21TO3090
O 	56.2 	620 		FAIRFAX 	CAPITAL BELTWAY I495 		00.44FR2864/00.21TO3090
O 	76.2 	649 		FAIRFAX 	TRIPPS RUN 			00.50FR708/00.21TO50
O 	85.7 	650 		FAIRFAX 	CUSTIS MEMORIAL PARKWAY 	00.15FR1195/00.10TO2946
O 	66.8 	655 		FAIRFAX 	E.& W. BOUND RTE.66 		0.05FR701 0.15TO4949
D 	6.3 	674 		FAIRFAX 	DIFFICULT RUN 			00.20FR677/00.70TO673
O 	59.9 	694 		FAIRFAX 	ROUTE 495 & SCOTTS RUN 		0.06FR1198 0.05TO859
O 	71.9 	695 		FAIRFAX 	CAPITAL BELTWAY 		00.03FR1174/00.28TO2863
O 	76.9 	699 		FAIRFAX 	ACCOTINK CREEK 			00.25FR978/00.40TO908
O 	73.3 	790 		FAIRFAX 	ACCOTINK CREEK 			00.50FR638/01.50TO617
O 	72.3 	5061 		FAIRFAX 	RTE. 123 CHAINBRIDGE RD. 	0.05 RING RD / 0.12 TY PW
O 	66.0 	7100 		FAIRFAX 	FAIR LAKES CIRCLE 		00.28FR7700/00.35TO66
O 	63.0 	7701 		FAIRFAX 	TRIBUTARY BIG ROCKY RUN 	00.55FR7700/00.03TO7700
O 	87.6 	495 		FAIRFAX 	I-66 EBL & WBL 			00.10FR495NB/00.05TO66WB
O 	82.2 	495 		FAIRFAX 	CHAIN BRIDGE RD. RTE.123 	00.80FR7/02.58TO193
O  	66.6  	123  	 	FAIRFAX (CITY)  ACCOTINK CREEK  		00.75 50 / 00.16 236

Well, considering the one in Minneapolis was rated "50," it is kind of scary to see all those bridges on 495 that are ranked below it. I imagine the amount of traffic on the beltway is a heck of a lot more than what that span if I-35W withstood on a daily basis.

I'm still amazed that the WW Bridge never fell in the River. I used to pass under it in a boat a lot and occasionally saw chunks of concrete falling into the water.

That would be great if they gave us lat/long...we could get these on a google map. I have no idea where any of these are.

WashingToneLocian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, considering the one in Minneapolis was rated
> "50," it is kind of scary to see all those bridges
> on 495 that are ranked below it.

Well, considering the bridge in Minneapolis was having repairs done at the time, and construction workers reported vibrations in the bridge before it collapsed, I am not all that frightened.

VA Bridges Similar In Design To Collapsed I-35W:

State Structure Number Location Crossing
VIRGINIA 1VA0591 GOLF CART PATH DRAINAGE CANAL
VIRGINIA 1VA591A GOLF COURSE MAINTE DRAINAGE CANAL
VIRGINIA 000000000002781 Elkton Farm Rd 666 Elk Creek
VIRGINIA 000000000003534 Old Rail Road 817 Craig Creek
VIRGINIA 000000000013399 Old Mill Road 772 Spoon Creek
VIRGINIA 000000000013066 ROUTE 340 JEREMIAHS RUN
VIRGINIA 000000000013087 ROUTE 340 OVERALL RUN
VIRGINIA 000000000018752 ROUTE 0340 NF SHEN RV & SOU RWY
VIRGINIA 000000000019644 WYSOR HWY. NEW RIVER
VIRGINIA 000000000020272 ROUTE 0055 S F SHENANDOAH RV & N&W
VIRGINIA 000000000021494 ROUTE 0095 JAMES RV RTE 360(60)&CSX
VIRGINIA 000000000021528 WESTOVER HILLS BLV JAMES RV SOU RWY CSXT RR
VIRGINIA 000000000021656 ROUTE 0000 9TH ST O ROANOKE RIVER

source: http://www.nbc10.com/news/13818981/detail.html

One is rated a 6.3! Are they replacing it? And what is route 674?

Rt 674 is Hunter Mill Rd.

Where is the difficult run bridge? D 6.3 674 FAIRFAX DIFFICULT RUN 00.20FR677/00.70TO673

Looks like a good flash flood and that's gone.

Lurker. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Where is the difficult run bridge? D 6.3 674
> FAIRFAX DIFFICULT RUN 00.20FR677/00.70TO673
>
> Looks like a good flash flood and that's gone.


This is the bridge that is on Hunter Mill Rd at Hunter Station Rd. This bridge floods out completely any time we get a good amount of rain. The police try and block off the road with cones and flares but the "I have an SUV and can make it" crowd, the "But I only live right down the street" crowd and finally the "I have lived here for 25 years but only know one route home" crowd will continue to run over the signs and flares set out by the police in the name of them getting home on time despite 2 foot high water.

Personally, even though it's not elevated very high, I'd still love to see a member of the groups I listed above get swept away in the current or fall into the water in their SUV's while defying the roadblock.

2 bridges over the shanendoah river, 1 over james, and one over new river. Interesting.

Speaking of the new river, i'd love to know if the new river gorge bridge (800 or so feet high) in W VA is "structuraly deficent" it was built around the same time as the 35W bridge and its basically the same design.


Speakin of the construction and vibrations, etc:

Everyone will remember the tacoma narrows bridge that collpased due to teh wind. According to a physics textbook i consulted, the wind blew the bridge do it vibrated at its "natural frequency." Not sure waht that is but when things vibrate at their natural frequency they collapse. Mythbusters tested this out with the soldiers on the bridge experiment.

Im going to hypothesize that the reason the 35W bridge collapsed was becuase jackhammers cuased the bridge to vibrate at its natural freqency and thus it fell down.




NTSB, you may now stop using my tax money.

Hers a bridge on 495 that caught my eye:

D 34.0 236 FAIRFAX RTE. I495 & ACCOTINK CK 00.43 649 / 00.14 904


Yes thats a rating of 34.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/2007 06:37PM by KeepOnTruckin.

This is ridiculous… one bridge falls in the United States and everyone wants their bridges replaced. Even if this happened once a year in this country (for a bridge of this capacity) the chances of it happening to any given bridge is extremely low… and no, it doesn’t even happen every year… try once in decades. This is like a meteor falling and crushing a house, so we all start buying meteor insurance. Even if the bridge is crummy as in the case of the hunter mill bridge with its extremely low rating, if that bridge broke I don’t think anyone would die unless they ventured across it in a flood or some other indirect circumstance. Stop freaking out.

You're right, Joe....that bridge in Minn. was one of those truss types with a long unsupported span, what was it, almost 500 feet? I doubt there is even a bridge of that type, or anything near it, in Fairfax County.

Well actually, another bridge DID fall today: http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/0809mr-collapse0810.html

Only difference is that I dont think people were driving on this one...but still causes some alarm understandably.

KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Im going to hypothesize that the reason the 35W
> bridge collapsed was becuase jackhammers cuased
> the bridge to vibrate at its natural freqency and
> thus it fell down.

Pretty sure they said they were doing "cosmetic" work like lamposts and dumb shit when it collapsed.

duh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> that bridge in Minn. was one of those truss types with a long unsupported span,
> what was it, almost 500 feet?

In the first reports I think they said it was almost 2000 ft! And that it was half the length of the Golden Gate bridge. Nothing like that here.

key bridge is 1701 ft

The unsupported 500 foot part I mentioned is just the span over the river...not the whole bridge.

Key Bridge is an "arch" type bridge with regularly spaced supports all the way accross the river.

When the bridge does fall down for lack of funding the fire department will have the helicopter to fly you to the hospital. Kind of a backwards way to look at it.

dumb ass Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When the bridge does fall down for lack of funding
> the fire department will have the helicopter to
> fly you to the hospital. Kind of a backwards way
> to look at it.

Maybe, but if the FD determines that it is too dangerous to try to rescue you, they might loan you a cell phone so you can say goodbye to your family. I read that happened in a couple of instances in Minnesota.

Shouldn't the list of structurally deficient projects have been posted back when a cinderblock fell off the Springfield mixing bowl and crushed that poor womans car ???

dumb ass Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When the bridge does fall down for lack of funding
> the fire department will have the helicopter to
> fly you to the hospital. Kind of a backwards way
> to look at it.

I lolled.

Sorry to bump an old thread but is there any new data for these bridges? I'd be very curious to know which have received repairs. Thanks!

which is more likey.... driving over one of these unsafe bridges and fall into the river below it, or flying on a commercial airliner in the US?

KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Speakin of the construction and vibrations, etc:
>
> Everyone will remember the tacoma narrows bridge
> that collpased due to teh wind. According to a
> physics textbook i consulted, the wind blew the
> bridge do it vibrated at its "natural frequency."
> Not sure waht that is but when things vibrate at
> their natural frequency they collapse. Mythbusters
> tested this out with the soldiers on the bridge
> experiment.

The effect is called resonance. The easiest way to understand resonance is to imagine pushing someone on a swing set at just the right time so they keep going higher and higher.

Modern bridges and airplanes are specifically designed to be resistant to areoelastic flutter, the type of resonance responsible for the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Thanks :)

HOLY SHIT I drive over some of those bridges.

Ranafron’s probably pitching a tent reading that list. I bet he’ll vist every single bridge.