***Completely non-veg related***



The company I work for is bidding on this job. We worked on the previous bridge collapse in conjunction with the company mentioned in the article. It will be a HUGE job!!



More details: For the second time in two years, a tanker truck carrying gasoline or diesel fuel crashed & burned, causing an overpass to collapse. We bid with another company and won the contract for the first repair, in 2002, and completed a 90-day contract in 38 days!



Well, I guess we shouldn't have worked so fast; this is a bigger job, and the state is allowing 63 days. Our bid goes in today, and we'll

I'm not sure whether to hope we get it or not!





**From the above link:**



Bridge work to begin Saturday

Malfunction Junction repair contract has deadline of Jan. 1, to cost around $4 million

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

GINNY MacDONALD

News staff writer

The state transportation director said that a bid will be accepted Friday and around-the-clock work will begin Saturday to replace the interstate bridge in Malfunction Junction.



Director Joe McInnes said Monday that six companies are expected to bid on replacing the bridge that was destroyed Thursday when a truck hauling 9,000 gallons of diesel fuel wrecked and exploded.



The bridge on Interstate 20/59 north is 64 feet wide and 413 feet long. It is longer than the I-65 bridge, which was destroyed in 2002, but the company that receives the contract to replace the bridge will have fewer days to replace it.



The I-65 bridge, also in Malfunction Junction, was replaced in 38 days, even though Brasfield & Gorrie had 90 days to do the work.



The I-20/59 bridge work includes incentives of $50,000 a day to the company if the bridge is replaced in fewer than 63 days. If the work exceeds the Jan. 1 deadline, the company must pay the state $50,000 a day for each day over the deadline.



The replacement cost is expected to be around $4 million, McInnes said.



On Monday, DOT workers opened another lane of Interstate 20/59 southbound under the damaged bridge. Another lane of I-20/59 southbound is expected to open today, said J.F. Horsley, Birmingham division engineer for DOT.



Also Monday, McInnes said that according to a preliminary investigation, the driver of the tractor-trailer that crashed was driving faster than 80 mph. DOT investigators estimated the speed based on evidence they found at the wreck scene. The tanker slid about 900 feet before it crashed and burned, DOT officials said.



Bryan Gerald, 33, of Harpersville was driving the tanker-truck loaded with 9,000 gallons of diesel fuel when it wrecked and burned the bridge. Gerald, a driver for Andalusia Enterprises of Birmingham, was treated for cuts and bruises at UAB Hospital and released.



A member of Gerald's family said they have been advised by the insurance company for Andalusia Enterprises not to talk to news media.



Birmingham police are continuing to investigate.



A reckless driving charge against Gerald in Shelby County Circuit Court was rescheduled to Dec. 3.



News staff writer Malcomb Daniels contributed to this report. [email protected]