Anderson Crane and Bridge Opens New Service Center in Douglasville, GA

Anderson Crane and Bridge has just opened its new service and repair facility at Douglasville, Georgia specifically for crane repair and service to all sizes of Hydra Under Bridge Access Platforms.  Call Tommy Dutton at 321-377-7225 if you have service or repair needs. We pick up, deliver and offer rental replacements for YOUR equipment.

Why Rent?

Inventory Management: 

• Warehouse Overhead – Idle equipment must be stored, creating a drain on expenses.
• Maintenance and Repair – Breakdowns and service needs cost time and money. Eliminate the need for repair shops, spare parts, maintenance records, mechanics on payroll by transferring the repair and replacement responsibility to a rental company.
• Inventory Control – Minimize loss from employee theft by the inherent accountability factor of rentals. Rentals reduce the cost of storing, repairing and disposing of unused and obsolete equipment.

Efficiency and Utilization:

• Equipment Needs: In this industry, one size does NOT fit all. Reduce your fleet size by renting from companies who offer the right equipment for the job at hand.
• Latest Technology: Aging equipment can increase costs due to decreased efficiency. Get the latest technology to save time and money.
• Safety and Liability: Older equipment affords fewer safety features and increases your liability.

Financial Considerations:

• Increased Borrowing Capacity: When equipment does not appear as a liability on your balance sheet, increasing your borrowing capacity with a better ratio of net worth to liabilities. Renting leaves your bank line of credit undisturbed.
• Taxes and Licenses: Rentals eliminate personal property tax and licensing fees.
• Capital Conservation: Conserve your capital for more profitable uses by renting the equipment you need for the time you need it.

Check out our website at www.inspectabridge.com for the latest in under bridge access equipment rentals

On Tap at the Nation’s DOT

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood lays out what’s in store for the new year on his blog, http://fastlane.dot.gov/2009/12/bring-on-2010-this-dot-has-its-sleeves-rolled-up.html

This is an excerpt:

Here’s just a preview of what’s in the works:

More recovery, more renewal: as more complex stimulus-funded projects get underway, we’ll see even more Recovery Act jobs than in 2009, and more upgraded infrastructure. Two highlights that will arrive early in the year? $8 billion in High-Speed Rail grants as we take our first steps toward new American regional inter-city passenger rail. And $1.5 billion in TIGER discretionary grants to begin nationally significant projects in economically distressed areas.
More safety: I am not about to lay down on this; whether it’s distracted driving, impaired driving, or driving unprotected by seat belts, expect to see more from us on making our roadways safer for everyone.

More livability, sustainability: as 2009 wound down, we made our first grants for livable communities in New Orleans; in 2010 the TIGER grants we award will include as criteria the project’s contribution to sustainability and livability. Also in 2010, the Obama Administration’s Partnership for Sustainable Communities of DOT-HUD-EPA will continue to align our efforts to promote the Three E’s of economic development, environmental protection, and equitable access to transportation.

Other items on our to-do list include:

Continued implementation of the NextGen air traffic control system to reduce flight delays and fuel consumption.
DOT Safety Council to tackle critical transportation safety issues facing DOT’s 10 operating administrations.
Reauthorization Listening Tour will continue gathering input from stakeholders across the nation as Congress considers new surface transportation legislation.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood blogs about the AP report on stimulus funding

http://fastlane.dot.gov/2010/01/ap-misses-the-mark.html

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood blogs about the AP report on stimulus funding:

Today, the Associated Press published an article skeptical of transportation stimulus spending’s effect on employment. Now, I’m all for a vigilant press to help keep our government effective. But this story is missing the point. This Administration’s transportation stimulus spending is putting people to work.

According to AP’s analysis, “a surge in spending on roads and bridges has only barely helped the beleaguered construction industry.”

That’s what my math teachers used to call comparing “apples and oranges.” Referring to the “construction industry” when transportation stimulus spending is only designed to help the transportation construction industry.

You see, the highway and road construction industry totals about 258,000 jobs out of an overall national work force of 132 million jobs. If you’re keeping score at home, that means only two-tenths of one percent of the American employment is in highway and road work.

And, not only is transportation construction less than a percent of all employment, it’s also only a tiny sliver of the total construction picture.

The same can be said of transportation’s role in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Transportation stimulus dollars make up only 7% of that nearly $800 billion package.

But, when we drill down to the transportation construction industry, the most appropriate basis for analysis, we find Recovery Act spending making a real difference in people’s lives.

Just last week, the Census Bureau reported that highway and street construction spending in November was 5.7% higher than it was in November a year ago, and other public transportation construction spending was up 18.8% from a year ago. By contrast, overall construction spending was down 13% from a year ago, to the lowest level in six years.

And even that rise in public spending conceals the fact that states, counties, and municipalities have all cut their transportation construction budgets drastically.

In absolute terms, overall public construction rose by $8.3 billion in November 2009 from November a year ago. All of that (more than all of that) was accounted for by highways, streets, and other public transportation construction projects, which rose by $9.2 billion.

So, on top of tens of thousands of laid-off workers back on the job, Federal stimulus spending is reducing that drastic shortfall in other public transportation spending, making it possible for tens of thousands of workers to retain their jobs and never even hit the unemployment rolls.

Indeed, DOT-administered stimulus spending is the only thing propping up the transportation construction industry.

I dont’ know about the AP, but where I come from, we call that helping.

Obama to look at transportation funding solutions

Capitol Hill has asked the U.S. DOT for assistance in coming up with funding solutions.

January 11, 2010

The Obama administration may be gearing up to write its own version of the next 6-year transportation bill. At the annual Transportation Research Board meeting in Washington, D.C., this week, Beth Osborne, the Obama team’s deputy assistant secretary for transportation policy, said that Congress has asked the U.S. DOT “to craft its own version of a transportation reauthorization bill.”

The challenge will be to come up with a long-term funding formula, and a new element at play is the effort to cut transportation emissions and the EPA’s expanded role in terms of enforcement. With the next long-term transportation bill, states are insisting on a guaranteed rate of return from their gas-tax revenue based on an equity argument that, according to Streetsblog Capitol Hill, says the more energy-efficient you are, the less gas you use and the less federal funding you should get.”

U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood spent most of this past summer convincing lawmakers to hold off on transportation funding discussions until 2011, but if the Obama administration takes on a more active role many believe a long-term funding solution might be discovered before then.

2010 Under Bridge Access Platforms

Anderson Crane & Bridge Technologies Inc. has two new 66′ reach Hydra Platform truck-mounted under bridge work platforms to cover all bridge access needs. We offer all our units with operators or bare rental. We deliver directly to your jobsite and train your operators.  Access beside or beneath bridges from one lane directly atop the bridge deck.

Please visit www.inspectabridge.com  for all the details.

Call Pat Dandridge 770 315 6993 for rental rates.

Happy New Year!

December 26, 2009

As we approach 2010, I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a safe, happy and healthy new year.It has been a year of dramatic change for both our company and our family. As always, some change is good and some is tough to bear. We are still reeling from the loss of my brother’s firstborn son in 2008, but we have made great strides in healing and have put our grief to good work with fundraisers for local programs for youth in Nick’s hometown of Lakeland, Florida. My wife and I have entered that season where dealing with aging parents becomes part of everyday life. It is tough, but we count every single day a blessing that they are still with us and need our care.

As for the company, our growing pains are just reminders that we are indeed growing and we could not be more happy or proud of our accomplishments. The biggest news is the opening of our service and repair shop in Douglasville, Georgia, run and managed by Tommy Dutton, who has just been a godsend for us this year. Tommy has years of invaluable experience and just hit the ground running when he came on board. He knows our Hydra platforms from top to bottom and will not only be providing service and repair to our equipment, but to outside equipment owners as well.

In addition to my sister Cassie Dandridge Selleck, who handles our sales and marketing department, we have recently welcomed Kyle Smith to our sales staff. Kyle worked as a salesman for my wife’s family business, Cooper Music, for years and is an accomplished musician himself. Kyle’s bandmates are engineers for firms like PBS&J and Volkert, so he is excited about his connections and hopes to be making calls in the Atlanta area beginning in January.

We have a lot to look forward to in 2010. We pray for peace and prosperity for our country and wish you a happy and healthy New Year.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…Ecclesiastes 3:1

Best wishes,

Pat Dandridge

Anderson Crane and Bridge Technologies, Inc.
2302 Birdie Lane
Duluth, GA 30096
770-315-6993 (Pat’s cell)
770-510-3696 (Service Dept.)
Pat@inspectabridge.com
www.inspectabridge.com

Tnemec Company Depicts How ‘Baby Boomer’ Bridges Show Their Age, Raising the Need for Proper Upkeep

Tnemec Company Depicts How ‘Baby Boomer’ Bridges Show Their Age, Raising the Need for Proper Upkeep
Tnemec Company identifies coating systems for bridge structures that help withstand the test of time and can be applied under full-containment in order to minimize down-time.

Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) December 23, 2009 — The aging of America’s 590,000 bridges has led to increased maintenance and rehabilitation funding in recent years, with even higher levels of future spending anticipated to sustain their health and safety. “While 50 years ago the nation faced a historic period of bridge construction, today it faces a historic period of bridge repair and reconstruction,” according to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in its report titled Bridging the Gap.

The report credited state departments of transportation with keeping the nation’s network of bridges safe through ongoing inspections, the use of improved materials, and “ingenious repairs.” At the same time, the report acknowledged, “A significant new investment and national commitment is necessary to protect these invaluable assets.”

Special attention is being given to structures that are more than 50 years old and heavily traveled, which AASHTO has labeled, “Baby Boomer Bridges.” Falling into this category is the Maurice J. Tobin Memorial Bridge, which stretches across the Mystic River to connect the Charlestown section of Boston with Chelsea. Currently operated by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the three-span, cantilevered truss bridge first opened to traffic in 1950.

At approximately 2 1/4-miles long, the bridge is the largest in New England and the first in Massachusetts to use a new, high-tech structural monitoring system that uses wireless sensors attached to various areas of the bridge. A continuous flow of data from these sensors will provide engineers with real-time information on loads, stresses, environmental conditions, and corrosion on the bridge. When fully operational, this “smart bridge technology” will enable engineers to address any issues immediately.

Engineers also follow a proactive schedule of bridge inspections and a carefully phased recoating and redecking program to keep the bridge in good condition. Bridge maintenance has been an ongoing priority since the late 1970s, when the first lead abatement project in the country was initiated by the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) engineering department, which operated the bridge at that time. “I started my career on that bridge as a paint inspector,” recalled Larry Mitkus, who is currently a coating consultant with Tnemec Company. “I was on that bridge for three straight years, which is why I know it so well.”

Over the years, Mitkus has continued his involvement with the Tobin Bridge, specifying high-performance coating systems for major renovation projects, including an on-ramp for a toll plaza that was recoated in 2000. “They can’t recoat the entire bridge at once because of its size, so projects are divided under different contracts,” Mitkus explained. “The specified color is a federal standard green, which is a government specification.”

The three-coat system used on the on-ramp and other sections of the bridge consists of Series 90-97 Tneme-Zinc, a zinc-rich urethane primer, followed by an intermediate coat of Series 27 F.C. Typoxy, a polyamide epoxy. The finish coat, Series 73 Endura-Shield, an aliphatic acrylic polyurethane, provided protection from exterior weathering, abrasion and corrosive fumes. Overall, nearly 16,000 gallons of coatings have been used, representing 15 percent of the entire bridge. “The coating system provides the sacrificial corrosion performance of the zinc primer, the barrier protection of the epoxy intermediate coat and the UV resistance of the Series 73,” Mitkus said. “We have done a number of overpasses and bridge structures over the past 20 years that use a very similar coating system, including work for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority.”

Each coating project was complicated by the need for full containment to prevent abrasives and paint from damaging automotive and truck traffic. “This is a major artery from the north coming into Boston, so there’s no way to shut down the bridge for recoating,” Mitkus noted. “In addition to protecting traffic, there’s the lead issue. A dense urban population is in proximity to the bridge, so there cannot be any abrasives or dust containing lead paint drifting onto surrounding properties. That was a major concern for Massport.”

Mitkus expects an increase in major bridge maintenance and repair projects during the next five to 10 years. “You’re going to see a definite increase in bridge coating because of the growing need,” he predicted. “There are bridges all over the country that are in disrepair, so we’re seeing more federal stimulus funding being allocated toward fixing the infrastructure.”

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Under Bridge Equipment Rentals at Inspectabridge.com

Anderson Crane and Bridge Technologies, Inc. has 32′ to 66′ truck- or trailer-mounted Hydra Platforms for rent nationwide.

These self-erecting units will have your crews working within minutes and can be used for:

• Access to bridge fascia Removal of debris from bridges due to flooding
• Relocation, repair or installation of conduit, utilities, fiber optics or traffic control devices on bridges over water
• Maintenance, repair or inspection of bridges where access is limited or difficult to attain
• Inspecting or repairing bridges over environmentally sensitive wetlands or waterways
• Cleaning or painting bridge trusses and other surfaces Bridge rehabilitation or aesthetic enhancement

Rentals from Anderson Crane and Bridge are fully insured and maintained, and the safety rating is 100%. Delivery and pick-up, and on-site operator training are available, or we can provide an operator for you.

Please call me at 770-315-6993 for a quote or visit our web site for more information on our Hydra Platforms.

Pat Dandridge, President/CEO

770-315-6993

Pat@inspectabridge.com

www.inspectabridge.com

MATECH’s Electrochemical Fatigue Sensor Eliminates Subjectivity of Current Bridge Inspections

Missed Cracks, False Positives and Reporting Errors Make Current Bridge Inspection Methods Potentially Unreliable and Unsafe; Problem Highlighted in Recent Report by Tennessee News Organization

MATECH Corp. (OTCBB: MTCH) (www.matechcorp.com) announced today that its revolutionary Electrochemical Fatigue Sensor (EFS) provides the advanced objective reporting capability necessary to secure the nation’s infrastructure and thwart economic and humanitarian catastrophe. MATECH’s EFS system is the only nondestructive technology capable of detecting growing cracks as small as 0.01 inches in metal bridges and structures. MATECH’s EFS has proven its efficacy on more than 35 bridges in ten different states as well as several railroad bridges.

The most common method of bridge inspection is visual inspection, which relies on the subjective judgment of the inspector. Using this method 90% of fatigue cracks are missed, and 80% of identified “cracks” later prove to be false-positives, according to government reports. By taking the subjectivity out of the inspection process, MATECH’s EFS technology offers a unique technologically advanced solution compared to current unsafe and unreliable methods of bridge inspection.

This problem of subjectivity and potential discrepancies in current bridge inspection methods was recently highlighted in a story for WSMV Nashville, a local Tennessee news organization. The investigative team looked into more than 55 bridges, located in various counties throughout the region, that bridge inspectors called into question.

To read full story go to: http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0562350.htm

Across US, Infrastructure Is Crumbling

SAN FRANCISCO (Oct. 29) — Billions of dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 are being spent on infrastructure projects across the country, but as last week’s closing of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge shows, for every problem that gets addressed, it seems like 10 more are waiting.

Built in 1936, and severely damaged in1989 by the Loma Prieta earthquake, the Bay Bridge closed over Labor Day weekend for retrofitting designed to help it withstand further quakes. In the process of the repairs, an enormous crack was found in an I-bar, requiring further fixes.

Last Tuesday, a portion of the second emergency repair gave way, sending steel cables onto the roadway, damaging cars and closing the bridge to traffic once more. The bridge remained closed Monday morning, but CNN reported it would reopen later in the day.

Bridge safety is by no means an isolated issue, however. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, more than 26 percent of the country’s bridges were found to be either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Even more worrisome, in 2008, 1 out of every 3 bridges in America’s urban areas was found to be deficient.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has personally witnessed the consequences of putting off infrastructure repair and maintenance. On Aug. 1, 2007, his city’s I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145.

To read the remainder of this article by David Knowles, go to: http://www.sphere.com/2009/10/29/across-us-infrastructure-is-crumbling