As best as I can determine, only about three grumpy old men — John Walker, John Brummett and yours truly — have raised questions about replacing the aging Broadway Bridge with a super-duper new bridge at a time when money is tight. The Highway Department has $45 million committed to spend. My guess it will cost a lot more.
We’ve tried to investigate the question of whether repair would be cheaper and satisfactory. Highway officials insisted replacement is the only smart way to go.
Last night, I received a temperate letter from an engineer who offered his own opinion. He doesn’t want to get into the issue publicly, but he agreed to my request to republish his note without attribution. He makes the case for replacement and suggests emulating the Minnesota bridge shown above: