Florida span, failed IR bridge designed by same firm
An engineering firm that worked on the pedestrian bridge that collapsed March 15 in Florida, killing six people, also designed failed bridge approaches for the Indian River Inlet bridge in 2007.
Delaware Department of Transportation hired Figg Bridge Engineers in June 2003 to design the Indian River Inlet bridge and roadway approaches. After construction of the earthen approaches was well underway, it was discovered they were shifting, and they were deemed unsafe. The approaches were eventually removed.
Figg and Munilla Construction Management were behind the $14.3 million walkway over eight-lane Southwest Eighth Street at Florida International University. The span, weighing an estimated 950 tons, was still under construction when it collapsed and crushed cars below.
The cause of the collapse is unknown, and may not be design-related. An investigation is ongoing.
Figg had its own difficulties in Delaware 15 years ago.
In June 2003, DelDOT entered into an agreement with Figg for the design of the Indian River Inlet bridge and roadway approaches. Figg entered into a sub-consultancy agreement with Mactec.
Two years later, work on the bridge approaches began, with earthen embankments leading to the bridge, designed by Figg.
After delays and work stoppages associated with the embankments, the Federal Highway Administration in 2007 hired an independent consultant to evaluate the problems.
Later that year, consultant Geocomp found that vertical settlement would continue causing the walls supporting the approaches to move, twist and tilt. By the end of the year, federal and state officials agreed removal of the embankments was the only option.
Work to demolish the embankments began in May 2008, and by September, DelDOT had decided to move forward with a $150 million contract with Skanska USA Civil Southeast, which designed and built the existing bridge.
In January 2011, DelDOT filed a $19.6 million lawsuit against Figg and Mactec. The suit was settled for $5.25 million in fall of 2013.
DelDOT will not comment on the connection, said Director of Community Relations C.R. McLeod.
Figg is an internationally known engineering firm whose philosophy reads, in part, bridges are works of art that are functional within the landscape of the area, according to the Figg website.
Figg also designed the Route 1 William V. Roth Bridge over the C&D Canal and the iconic Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge in Boston.
