The pedestrian bridge that was hit by a truck before collapsing onto D.C. 295 last week may not be replaced, said Everett Lott, director of the District Department of Transportation.
In a Tuesday news conference under a bridge being reconstructed on 2nd St. NE — often called the Hopscotch Bridge — Lott said despite five of D.C.’s 234 bridges receiving a ranking of “poor,” all are safe for daily vehicle and pedestrian use.
Lott could not commit to replacing the bridge that was hit by a truck, located near Lane Place.
”Lane Bridge was probably the bridge used most infrequently — we had about 11 users per day,” Lott said.
By contrast, other pedestrian bridges closer to Metro carried close to 1,100 people daily.
”Nash Bridge is less than 1,000 feet from where the Lane Bridge was knocked down by the vehicle,” Lott said.
While some infrastructure rated “poor” — four, with nine being the top safety score on a national scale — Lott said D.C. is prioritizing, and funding, bridges and tunnel repairs.
“Of the 234 bridges, only five are in poor condition,” Lott said.
The Lane Bridge that was destroyed last week had recently been downgraded as “poor.”
”I must reiterate that this was struck by a truck, going at a pretty heavy rate of speed, with its lift elevated, and that is what knocked the bridge down,” Lott said.
