Five years since FIU pedestrian bridge collapse that killed six
MIAMI - Wednesday marked 5 years since the FIU bridge collapse, a new bridge is set to begin construction next year, however, one victim's family is speaking out to make sure this never happens anywhere else in the state.
"Today is a very sad moment for us, it does not hurt as much as 5 years ago, but it still hurts, we're still in the grief, in the recovery process," Orlando Duran, Alexa's father said.
Duran was one of the 6 victims. She was an FIU student when she was killed, and her family still lives with the pain of her loss each day.
"I don't know if this will ever go away, so every year that we can we will come over here, and remember her, and the other victims, of the tragedy, we are here to remember something that should not have happened," her father explained.
The bridge was being built in the city of Sweetwater as a safety measure so that students did not have to cross the busy highway to get to and from its Modesto A. Maidique campus.
The National Transportation Safety Board's final report on the collapse cited design problems and inadequate oversight. It faulted the firms involved in the project and Florida International University for failing to act once extensive cracking appeared during the construction of the pedestrian bridge. The agency said they should have halted work and shut down the road beneath it.
"If you look at the presentation that Florida Department of Transportation made on February 28th, you will see anytime work on the bridge is going to be undertaken, that would impact the road, the road is going to be closed," Kenneth Jessell, FIU President said.
However, construction over roadways is still a common practice, something Alexa's family wants to change.
"But we're very active in proposing that they will implement something like Alexa's law," Orlando Duran said.
Construction is set to begin in early 2024, and expected to take two years for completion.