Beyond Engineering: The Politics of Maracaibo

For the 2nd time in a decade, the 29-year-old Puente General Rafael Urdaneta in Venezuela, known in the US as the Lake Maracaibo Bridge, is in danger because of the forces of nature, neglect, overuse, and a lack of a formal maintenance program. The 8,678.6-meter bridge is the only transportation lin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Civil engineering (New York, N.Y. 1983) N.Y. 1983), 1991-03, Vol.61 (3), p.60-62
Main Authors: Manzanarez, Rafael, Seim, Charles, Smith, Dennis
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
Subjects:
Air pollution
Bridges
Corrosion
Investigations
Repair & maintenance
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Summary:For the 2nd time in a decade, the 29-year-old Puente General Rafael Urdaneta in Venezuela, known in the US as the Lake Maracaibo Bridge, is in danger because of the forces of nature, neglect, overuse, and a lack of a formal maintenance program. The 8,678.6-meter bridge is the only transportation link between the economic centers in and around the city of Maracaibo, the oil-rich eastern lake shore, and the interior of Venezuela. In 1988, the Venezuelan Ministry of Transportation and Communication hired T. Y. Lin International (San Francisco) for an independent investigation. In 1988 and 1989, on-site investigations were made by a team including representatives of the Venezuelan Ministry and Lagoven SA. It was determined that action beyond engineering, involving the political and social realms, was needed. An organization will be set up for routine inspection and maintenance. The Ministry also agreed to impose strict load limits on truck traffic. Although politically unpopular, these limits must be enforced if the bridge is to last 100 years.
ISSN:0885-7024
2381-0688