Letter to the Hon. Ronald Batory, Federal Railroad Administration Administrator - Address Maintenance Concerns

Letter

Dear Administrator Batory,

As you are likely aware, at 1:04 p.m. on July 5th, 2018, a portion of a railroad bridge collapsed onto a busy and commercial street in my district in downtown Syracuse, NY. Luckily, no one was injured; however, the consequences could have been disastrous.

While your office has been extremely accommodating in sharing information and working with my office and the Office of the Mayor of the City of Syracuse, I am concerned by the lack of maintenance and inspection of this bridge. As such, I have follow up questions as to the role the FRA plays in examining structurally deficient bridges and what can be done to prevent disasters like this from occurring in the future. Specifically:

1.) When was the last time the bridge along South Clinton Street at West Onondaga Street and Gifford Street in Syracuse, NY was inspected?

2.) It is my understanding that the FRA conducts random inspections of bridges under its jurisdiction. How are such bridges chosen for inspection?

3.) How many inspectors does the FRA have on staff?

4.) What action does the FRA take when an inspector finds a bridge to be structurally deficient?

5.) Are there any constraints facing the FRA in ensuring that the most deficient bridges are inspected?

I appreciate your cooperation and timely response. Disasters like this are a staunch reminder that our roads and bridges need improvement. Even during tight financial constraints, I hope we can work together to prioritize infrastructure spending and mitigate future disasters. This is the greatest country in the world and it is time that our infrastructure reflects that.

Sincerely,

Source