BOSTON—State officials are expressing confidence that the century-old Longfellow Bridge is safe for the 150,000 motorists and MBTA commuters who pass over the span each weekday.
The Boston Herald reports that a 40-day inspection conducted after a deadly bridge collapse in Minneapolis found evidence of badly-corroded steel beams beneath the Longfellow, which crosses the Charles River between Boston and Cambridge.
Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Rick Sullivan told the newspaper that $1.2 million has been spent on repairs to the bridge since August. Sullivan says the agency will need to spend another $500,000 in maintenance before a scheduled $200 million renovation begins in 2010.
Sullivan says officials do not believe there is any danger of a catastrophic incident.
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Information from: Boston Herald, http://www.bostonherald.com
