Wichita, Kansas Looks into Making Bridges Safer After Minneapolis Accident

As with many cities nationwide Wichita, Kansas City Hall and Kansas Taxpayers Network have started to examine their bridges more closely after the incident that occurred in Minneapolis.The issue was immediately brought to the attention of city officials that dozens of bridges throughout Wichita are structurally deficient and have been without proper inspection in more than two years and even some more than five years.

Very few of the faulty bridges in Wichita have actually been replaced over the past 10 years, most have just gone through repairs to stifle the small problems instead of looking at long term ailing that could occur over the years.

Only a very small amount of the $2.4 million capital improvement funds goes to the construction and repair of the cities bridges,executive director of Kansas Taxpayers Network Karl Peterjohn says " bridges should not be overlooked in the spending proposal" and the majority of Wichita citizens agree.

The taxpayer advocate criticized the city for planning far more long term spending on recreation projects and new city buildings rather than working to maintaining or replacing ailing bridges.

Even with the 10 year spending plan it still is not clear as to if the city officials will want to just simply repair the ailing bridges in the city or opt for the better decision to replace them entirely.Many citizens have done their best to urge city officials and the Kansas Taxpayer Network to put safety above so-called "fun" projects for the city, they have said " maybe if they just took a few minutes to think of the heartbreak that one faulty bridge in Minneapolis caused perhaps that might put things in a better perspective" and "it happened to them it could very well happen to us if safety precautions are not met."

In my opinion I believe that to much of the cities capital improvement has gone to needless places such as, improving a few parks around the city and moving landmark objects downtown to make downtown more welcoming to visitors,safety should be first and foremost then what is left of the cities capital spending can be used on such things as making downtown more enjoyable and inviting.