SANTO DOMINGO.-The Ministry of Public Works and Communications, MOPC, announced that it will proceed to close the Francisco del Rosario Sánchez bridge (17th Street bridge) to vehicular traffic starting this Monday, January 20th at 8:00 pm, in order to carry out repair work on the expansion joints, which show slight deterioration.
The information is contained in a press release from the MOPC (Ministry of Public Works and Communications) in which it apologizes to citizens who use this viaduct daily for any inconvenience this measure may cause while the work is being carried out, which aims to guarantee greater safety for users.
Engineer Romer Pérez, director of Bridge Maintenance for the institution, asked citizens and drivers to use the other communication routes to Santo Domingo East that are open to reach their respective destinations.
Earlier, the agency announced that the Francisco del Rosario Sánchez bridge, better known as the 17th Street Bridge, has undergone a general repair, due to the condition of the structure, which has caused concern among thousands of users who travel through it daily.
However, the institution explained that the slight cracks in the expansion joints do not pose a danger to drivers.
He noted that a report from the MOPC's Bridge Maintenance Directorate highlights that the bridge's structural repair will be divided into three stages. The first will consist of cleaning the entire metal structure.
Subsequently, all the information will be gathered, scanning the entire bridge, which includes measuring and calibrating all the elements (beams, nodes, plates, channel, among others) to determine the structural conditions of each one, modeling of the structure and preparation of plans.
The report highlights that once the overall condition of the bridge is known, a system will be designed to protect, reinforce and/or replace all elements that do not meet the required thicknesses, in order to update the bridge to the current freight train.
The 17th Street Bridge, one of the six structures that connect the National District and the province of Santo Domingo, and which was put into use in 1974, shows corrosion and deterioration due to a lack of maintenance.
In addition, it is highlighted that the only maintenance that the 17th Street Bridge has undergone is to repair some holes in the pavement.
Given this situation, the MOPC proceeded to visually evaluate the bridge's superstructure, where some critical points of oxidation of the pieces that make up the truss could be seen, such as the structural nodes, tie rod splices, loss of section in the node plates, supports, debris, sediment and weeds in the nodes and lower stiffening cord.
Also, inspection of the structural elements, deck, stringers and transverse beams, elements of the reinforcement, connections, supports, reinforced concrete columns, prestressed concrete and metal beam, and braces.
Recommendations
In the concrete structure, the recommendation is to carry out pathological studies of the concrete of the slab, to determine the causes of the degradation of the concrete in some sections, and thus foresee future damage in the placement of the new slab.
The MOPC recommends the design and construction of new expansion joints, and a complete cleaning of the bridge, removing pieces, debris, weeds, sand, etc., found in the beams and joints of the structure.
Also, measure the thicknesses of the elements once the cleaning system of the metal structure has been carried out, whether mechanical or manual, to validate the current dimensions of the same; repair and replacement of some metal pieces and elements, nodes in an advanced state of oxidation and that present loss of section (beams, channel, angles, bars, flat bars etc.).
Also, repair of fixings (screws, rivets and welding), repair of support devices, preparation of metal surface with a good anchoring profile (removal of slag and rust) for application of paint protection system.
Application of epoxy paint protection system, with application of primer as the first layer and then a final paint with high zinc content and UV protection, reconstruction of expansion joints, general painting of railings and wheel guard walls, vertical or horizontal signage, and lighting.
Similarly, design of access system for maintenance (mobile cart under the dashboard, mainly in the central bay).
