Weeks After Napa Earthquake, Aftershocks Leave Bridges In Peril Of Failure
NAPA (CBS13) — An earthquake shook the Napa region more than two weeks ago, but the damage is still being done.
Every aftershock is causing small cracks in bridges and roads to grow—and some of those bridges remain open.
The cost of the damage from the magnitude-6.0 earthquake in Napa is continuing to rise.
Steve Stangland with Napa County Public Works says the damage he's finding isn't from that quake, but from its aftershocks.
"The bridge railing is riddled with cracks, and those cracks have gotten bigger," he said.
Every day since the quake, he and his crew have taken a close look at each bridge to look for damage. So far, they've identified three bridges with cracks.
The bridge on Greenwood Avenue in Calistoga was so severely damaged, it needed to be shut down a few days ago.
"Those aftershocks are exasperating the damage that we've already had," he said.
But the bridges on Buhman Avenue and Patrick Road remain open, despite Stangland's worst-case scenario of a complete failure.
"We have a substantial aftershock, and it's already so weakened that's it going to go ahead and collapse in," he said.
With the potential for even more damage caused by aftershocks, are the bridges still safe to drive over?
"They have been evaluated by structural engineers and they've been deemed safe," Stangland said.
The total amount of damage for the three bridges is $12.5 million, and that number could keep growing after each aftershock.
It's expected to take about five years to repair the bridges.
