COVID-19 posed logistical challenges for bridge inspection team
Early in 2020 , while COVID-19 was beginning to spread
across the United States , the federal government deemed bridge inspections to be an essential service . So the Florida Department of Transportation hired Ayres to carefully check the new Veterans Memorial Bridge in Daytona Beach , while allowing only a month to plan the inspection process .
That process included coordination with state and local authorities , as well as the U . S . Coast Guard , for closures of the Halifax River to boat traffic .
Pre-inspection planning also involved steps taken to protect the inspectors from the coronavirus . Besides following guidelines for the use of personal protective equipment and social distancing ( when possible ), that included installing a special health station on the barges in the river where team members could frequently wash their hands , rinse their eyes , and take other safety precautions .
“ That was a first in my experience , and it was over Easter weekend ,” Maslyn said . components of the bridge that might need to be addressed by the contractor .
This inspection did not include work related to the roadway approaches to the bridge or to non-structural elements , such as the bridge ’ s lighting system .
Maslyn , a certified bridge inspector , said the inspection of the Veterans Memorial Bridge was complicated by some of the amenities that make it such an attractive structure .
On similar bridge inspections , his team typically employs a “ Snooper truck ” parked atop the bridge deck . This specialty vehicle has a multi-jointed arm with a basket platform attached at the end . Once in that basket , inspectors can be maneuvered into position to examine those parts of the structure beneath the bridge deck .
But Maslyn , who was the lead inspector on the project , found that COVID-related logistical challenges extended beyond just worker safety concerns .
“ The timeframe for the inspection was basically ground zero during ( the onset of ) COVID ,” he said . “ That was at the point when the entire state was shut down . Daytona and Daytona Beach were ghost towns .”
But through experience gained by having often worked in areas affected by hurricanes and other environmental dangers , Ayres was well prepared for challenges such as finding food and lodging in an area that had “ nearly completely shut down ,” Maslyn said .
– Bob Brown www . AyresAssociates . com 23