NDOT: No bridge damage from 4.5 earthquake in Carson City
CARSON CITY — Following an earthquake which hit the Carson City area on Friday, March 20, the Nevada Department of Transportation inspected bridges for potential damage. No bridges were found to have visible damage relating to the earthquake.
NDOT provided a news release Saturday afternoon regarding the Friday earthquake. On Saturday evening, there was a smaller earthquake, with an initial magnitude reading of 3.5 that was adjusted to a magnitude of 3.2. We will post any new news from NDOT regarding the Saturday evening earthquake if it is provided.
In reference to the Friday earthquake, NDOT writes: Spanning from the Carson Valley to south Reno to the Dayton area, NDOT’s certified bridge inspection personnel visually inspected 32 bridges for possible damage to bridge columns, beams and decks. Bridge inspectors found no bridges to have visible damage relating to the earthquake. Per national bridge inspection guidelines, drainage pipes and culverts which extend twenty feet or more underneath a roadway were also inspected.
Nevada’s bridges have been ranked some of the nation’s very best for the previous six years. U.S. Department of Transportation bridge inventory data shows only 1.4 percent of Nevada’s nearly 2,000 public bridges rated in poor condition. Compared to the 7.6 percent national average, it is the nation’s second-best ranking, with Texas ranked as top.
Bridges rated in poor conditions are not necessarily unsafe or dangerous. Rather, these bridges become a priority for corrective measures, and may be posted to restrict the weight of vehicles using them.
The Nevada Department of Transportation inspects the majority of bridges, including city and county-maintained structures, every two years. Bridges with more extensive deterioration are inspected more often, while select newer bridges are inspected every four years.