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Originally Posted by BajaGringo

Vicente Guerrero Arroyo Crossing Set to Open Tuesday Afternoon

"Acceso denegado / Inicio de sesión de usuario"

Pendejos. That used to be one of my top favorites; now they want you to "registrate para obtener acceso a esta página."

Esperan quede listo hoy paso en Santo Domingo

Vicente Guerrero, B. C. - Los trabajos que a marchas forzadas se llevan a cabo en el puente Santo Domingo posiblmente permitirán, a partir de la tarde de hoy martes, el restablecimiento de la comunicación terrestre entre las zonas sur y norte de Vicente Guerrero.

Esta posibilidad fue expresada por el delegado municipal, Marco Antonio Valdez López, quien acudió al lugar a primeras horas de ayer para cerciorarse de los avances.

Mientras las máquinas realizaban sus labores para acondicionar la rampa que permitirá la intercomunicación terrestre desde Vicente Guerrero hacia el norte, muchos automovilistas cruzaban la parte baja del arroyo.

Esta acción comenzó a observarse desde la mañana del domingo, cuando empezaron a pasar unidades altas y de doble tracción. Horas después comenzaron cruzar también por el arroyo vehículos más pequeños.

El cruce aéreo sobre el puente Santo Domingo fue suspendido por largos espacios de tiempo, reactivándose únicamente en casos de emergencia.
Lo mismo ocurrió con la escalera, la cual tuvo que ser retirada para no obstruir los trabajos de las máquinas, que se desarrollan a marchas forzadas.

La intensidad de los trabajos fue ordenada con el fin de cumplir el ofrecimiento del gobernador del Estado, José Guadalupe Osuna Millán, quien comprometió públicamente que la comunicación sería restablecida en las siguientes 48 horas.

Dicho compromiso fue establecido al mediodía del sábado, cuando acudió al Valle para hacer una valoración de la devastación provocada por las lluvias de los días precedentes.

Con una visión más realista, uno de los empresarios de la construcción en el lugar manifestó que los trabajos necesarios para resolver el problema, llevaría por lo tres días (72 horas) a partir del domingo.

Este plazo se cumple precisamente este martes, cuando los labores han llevado justamente el doble del tiempo deseado por el mandatario estatal.

Here's a youtube roundup; search for "puente" uploaded just today.
http://www.youtube.com/results?uploa...ries=10&page=1

Truly awesome amount/flow of water at Vicente Guerrero bridge; partial footage of collapse.



Here's after the flow went down. Answers the question of how they were able to fill that fallen part: the largest flow moved to the south side after the north side collapsed.



puente san quintin 1-21-10; look at the size of those waves.



Puente El Rosario 1-22-10

Another of Puente Vicente Guerrero/Arroyo Santo Domingo



It is very encouraging to see everybody embrace technology and share information.

Now people can see with their own eyes just how dangerous these arroyos can get with heavy rain. Just telling the story doesn't have the same impact as seeing the vid.

I just got a call from a connected source that they are going to delay opening the bridge fix/passes until after this storm passes...

Marty- I've mentioned it before on another website. I made particular reference to the El Tule bridges near Cabo, as well as a bridge failure on the toll road from the SJD airport shortly after it opened, the Tule bridges have failed more than once. Is there a mind set in Mexico that they need not plan for worst case scenarios? Just seems to me that this amount of damage could have been avoided by better engineering. They appear to do a wonderful job at quick fixes. But those fixes would appear to not be necessary if more thought and effort was used to begin with. Is this analogous to the case of car manufacturers recognizing their shortcomings but deciding that it would be cheaper to pay a settlement down the road than fix the problem up front?

Originally Posted by BajaGringo

I just got a call from a connected source that they are going to delay opening the bridge fix/passes until after this storm passes...

The most recent forecasts have predicted somewhere between 1/4 to 1/2 inch of rain from this storm in the LA area. Does not look like it should be a problem down there.

Originally Posted by Bajahowodd

Is there a mind set in Mexico that they need not plan for worst case scenarios? Just seems to me that this amount of damage could have been avoided by better engineering. They appear to do a wonderful job at quick fixes. But those fixes would appear to not be necessary if more thought and effort was used to begin with.

My experience after decades in Latin America is that the farther you are away from the government funding source - in this case Mexico City - then the fewer funds you actually get and the less due diligence that is done in project planning/construction.

I witnessed the same phenomena in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela etc etc etc...

El Vigia is reporting that the San Vicente bridge is now open



Mexicali, BC. La SCT informa que al día de hoy se restableció la operación regular para vehículos y unidades de carga en los Puentes Las Animas y el Puente San Vicente, tomando las precauciones necesarias al transitarlos ante la presencia de maquinaria y personal que siguen trabajando en la reconstrucción total de los mismos.

A pesar de las precipitaciones pluviales pronosticadas para las próximas horas, garantizan que la reparación es funcional. La solución definitiva, estimó el encargado de la obra, es ampliar el puente, sin embargo eso deberá analizarse y la licitación correrá a cargo de la SCT.

El puente San Domingo hasta este momento se mantiene con acceso limitado a trabajadores y maquinaria por una desviación provisional, pero por cuestiones de seguridad sin paso a ningún tipo de vehículos particular, ni vehículo pesado. En el Puente El Rosario se restableció el paso a todo tipo de vehículos a través de una desviación

SCT se mantiene trabajando en la reconstrucción de los puentes y zonas afectadas por las precipitaciones pluviales de la semana pasada, en coordinación con las autoridades del Gobierno Estatal y Municipal. Hasta hoy sigue suspendidas las salidas de transporte de pasajeros con destino a Baja California Sur hasta nuevo aviso.

La ruta Mexicali-San Felipe- Puertecitos-Laguna Chapala, este último ubicado en el km. 528 de la carretera Transpeninsular desde Tijuana, es una opción de tránsito para quienes no pueden postergar su traslado sin dejar de considerar que entre Puertecitos y Laguna Chapala existen todavía 90 kilómetros de terracería y tomando sus previsiones en cuanto combustible.

La Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes trabaja por restablecer a la brevedad posible la operación regular de la red carretera federal, mientras las condiciones climatológicas lo permitan

Se exhorta a la población extremen sus precauciones al conducir, estén muy pendientes de la señalización a lo largo del tramo y de la información brindada a través de los medios de comunicación.

Originally Posted by Bajahowodd

Marty- I've mentioned it before on another website. I made particular reference to the El Tule bridges near Cabo, as well as a bridge failure on the toll road from the SJD airport shortly after it opened, the Tule bridges have failed more than once. Is there a mind set in Mexico that they need not plan for worst case scenarios? Just seems to me that this amount of damage could have been avoided by better engineering. They appear to do a wonderful job at quick fixes. But those fixes would appear to not be necessary if more thought and effort was used to begin with. Is this analogous to the case of car manufacturers recognizing their shortcomings but deciding that it would be cheaper to pay a settlement down the road than fix the problem up front?

Knowing nothing about engineering, I am loathe to speculate on their shortcomings.

I saw someone on another board(who said they had quite a few years in the field) say that they were surprised those bridges were on spread footings(which would work well properly designed) instead of pilings.

From the lay perspective that enormous flow of water is certainly impressive.


I wonder how they compact the soil where it meets what is left of the bridges? Seems like that could be a pretty hairy portion of the equation.

I'd like to know the hour of that latest El Vigía report as I just snagged this from Nomad:

"posted on 1-27-2010 by BajaCactus
Update... Jan 26, 2010 / 3:30pm

Hi,

This is what I found out for you (from several friends and contacts we have along the Baja and a few drivers who just arrived from the north to BajaCactus in El Rosario, including our accountant):

-- San Vicente Ferrer... the temporary bridge is not functional yet... however traffic is being diverted through the river bed and there are no problems to cross... all type of vehicles can pass with care.

-- Colonia Vicente Guerrero... the temporary bridge is not functional yet... only 4x4's and high clearance vehicles can cross on their own (water levels at 1-2 feet and the bottom is sandy)... however, if you are driving a small vehicle, as soon as you approach the area, several people are ready to tow you across the river for a fee (around $300-$600 pesos)... there is a risk some water may come into your doors but the river is passable... there is a huge, HUGE line of semi's waiting to cross the bridge, specially from the south.

-- El Rosario... there is no work being at the bridge, however there is no problem to cross the river bed with any type of vehicle via a bypass that was made on it and that was cover with a lot of dry soil (I will try to get some pictures later).

Both repair crews at San Vicente and Col. Guerrero said they expect to have the bridges functional this evening, around 7-8 pm (we were able to personally speak with the foreman at Col. Guerrero).

Now, I do not know what is the situation with the Federal Police, or why they not allowing pass from Ensenada, but according to people on site in San Vicente and Col. Guerrero and actual drivers that just arrived from the north, at the moment, there is absolutely no problem with traffic flow all the way from Ensenada to Col. Guerrero... it is there, in Col. Guerrero, where the real problem is, but, if you are driving a small car, for a fee you can be crossed.

I hope this helps my friends.

Antonio Muñoz
BajaCactus"

Policia Federal de Caminos is telling us tonight that traffic should be flowing on the bridge fix at Vicente Guerrero. If true, that means traffic can begin to move up and down the peninsula once again...

HURRAY!!!!

Trucks have been seen moving south through San Quintin this early morning. Life is getting back to normal for most here. All traffic seems to be able to move up and down Highway One today...

I started visiting San Quintin in 1972 with my father when I was 9 years old. Washed-out bridges was common in the winter. The guy would tow us across for 12 pesos with his tractor.