Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) has restricted overweight permits for the newly constructed I-90 bridges over the Yellowstone River in Billings. The new bridges just recently completed in the last year were the subject of MDT routine inspections for newly constructed bridges. The inspections of the I-90 bridges found the bridges to have 24 improperly tensioned bolts out of the thousands used in its construction according to Billing District Administrator Mike Taylor. Taylor stated that the department informed the contractor, and they replaced said bolts. In the meantime, MDT has restricted overweight permits on the bridge as a precautionary step while the department conducts a more detailed analysis of the bridges. “There is no risk [to] safety, or [of] failure. It’s not a matter of strength [but] concern about long-term durability,” stated Taylor “…so protecting the structures, we took … Read full story here by subscribing here.
