MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. — It was only two and a half weeks ago that a tanker explosion ruined a Brevard County bridge; it's the Beachline bridge over Courtenay Parkway on Merritt Island (see map) , and surprisingly crews are almost finished rebuilding it.
AT THE SCENE: Viewer-Submitted Photos RAW VIDEO: Tanker Explosion Aftermath CELL VIDEOS: Smoke Plume | Tanker Burns | Fire
WFTV asked if there is any safety concern with such a rushed job.
A viewer emailed WFTV asking how the bridge could be safe if it's being built in the fraction of the time that an overpass is normally built in. Experts told WFTV engineering advancements and money are making it possible.
Crews started laying the concrete deck on the top of the new Beachline overpass and Marjorie and Jack Beverlin were parked in their car nearby watching it.
"It just seemed like every time you came it was something different," Marjorie said.
They have been out just about everyday since a pick-up collided with a fuel tanker truck causing a massive fireball that damaged the bridge. Construction crews have worked around the clock. It only took three days to put new concrete columns and support beams in place.
"For a highway bridge in America, it's exceptionally fast," Florida Tech engineering professor Albert Bleakley told WFTV.
He said the constructions crews haven't had to wait days for the concrete to cure.
"You have things today that you didn't have in the 1960s when the bridge was built originally, like high-strength, fast-setting concrete," he explained.
Bleakley says the high-grade cement mix is like using superglue instead of wood glue. Bleakley says the cement may cost more, but it gets the job done faster and the new $2.2 million bridge will actually be sturdier.
The Department of Transportation has hired independent consultants to watch over the project and has its own inspectors to make sure it meets safety standards. Lane Construction has a deadline to open the overpass up to traffic by next Wednesday or it will face penalties of $50,000 a day.
As many as 30,000 drivers have to take a 6-mile detour around the bridge everyday. If everything stays on track, there will be a lot of happy drivers next Wednesday.
Previous Stories: January 24, 2011: Beachline Fix Will Take Nearly One Month January 24, 2011: Tanker Crash Kills Two, Shutdown Beachline
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