Florida DOT Plans to Oversee New Pedestrian Bridge at FIU 2 Years After Deadly Collapse

2 years ago, an under construction pedestrian bridge on Florida International University’s (FIU) campus collapsed onto the open road below, killing 6 people and injuring several more.  After a 19 month investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded their investigation late last year, largely placing the blame on the engineer of record’s design.  Now, officials are ready to start the process of replacing the bridge.

Last month, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announced that they are planning to begin the bidding process for a design of the replacement bridge, which will incorporate lessons learned from the NTSB’s report.

“FDOT has learned valuable lessons since the tragic events surrounding the FIU bridge collapse two years ago. The Department has worked closely with the NTSB and local partners to ensure proactive safety measures are included in the plans for this much-needed bridge,” said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin J. Thibault, P.E., in a press release. “The Department will ensure all safety measures are in place and are followed so we may provide a safe option for pedestrians in this high-traffic area.”

The design of the new bridge is expected to begin in early 2021 and take 2 years to complete.  The construction process is also expected to take an additional 2 years.

According to the Miami Herald, the new bridge will cost $14.6 million total, which is roughly $2 million more than the original.  Increased construction costs were cited as the reason. The article also states that FIU received $9.5 million in a settlement from the previous contractors, which will help pay for the new bridge.

Full story: Two years after fatal collapse, Florida ready to build new FIU pedestrian bridge | Miami Herald

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