A barge collision in Galveston, Texas has caused quite a commotion, resulting in an oil spill and the closure of the only road to Pelican Island. The incident took place when a tugboat lost control of two barges it was pushing, leading one barge to crash into a bridge and spill oil into the bay.
Fortunately, only one person was knocked into the water but was quickly rescued with no reported injuries. However, the spill has led to the closure of 6.5 miles of the waterway, impacting surrounding areas including Texas A&M University of Galveston and Seawolf Park.
The Pelican Island Causeway Bridge, which was rated as “Poor” in the Federal Highway Administration’s inventory, remains closed for inspection and repairs. While the deck of the bridge was rated as satisfactory, the overall condition was deemed poor, with the superstructure that absorbs the live traffic load being in the worst condition.
Questions have arisen regarding the safety of the bridge for the approximately 9,100 vehicles that use it daily, as it is unclear if a state inspection has taken place since the data was compiled by the Federal Highway Administration. The closure of the bridge has caused inconvenience and concern among residents and commuters in the area. Stay tuned for updates on the status of the bridge and the cleanup efforts following the oil spill.
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