The company that designed the pedestrian bridge that collapsed onto a Miami highway Thursday afternoon, killing six people is working on a toll bridge set to open next year in East Chicago, Indiana.
The Tallahassee-based Figg Bridge Group is building the new Cline Avenue Bridge in East Chicago, the Times of Northwest Indiana reported last year.
The bridge is supposed to open in January 2020, according to a statement from Figg.
“As with many such undertakings, independent engineers regularly provide oversight and a careful review of this project as it progresses through the numerous stages of construction,” the statement issued Friday said.
The company called the collapse of the “an unprecedented event.”
“All completed bridges – including those designed by FIGG or any other firm – are inspected every two years. We have worked on more than 230 bridges throughout the United States and have designed nearly 35 miles of bridges in the southeastern Atlantic and Gulf states alone that have stood strong through multiple hurricanes,” the statement continued.
“Throughout its 40-year history, FIGG has established a long track record of safety and we are committed to ensuring the Cline Avenue Bridge continues to move forward in a safe and successful manner.”
The Cline Avenue Bridge, which will span 6,000 feet and will be 100 feet above the Indiana Harbor & Ship Canal, will follow the same path as the bridge it’s replacing, which was condemned for safety reasons in 2009 and was later demolished. The project is estimated to cost $140 million.
