Bureaucratic Glitches Mean Galveston County Bridge Repair Work Stalled Again
Pelican Island Bridge, which is used daily by thousands of maritime workers to get to and from their workplace in Galveston County, may not be repaired anytime soon. Just months after Galveston County Navigation District No. 1 requested $6 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to fund repairs, the agency says it may not be responsible.
The bridge, according to FEMA’s representative in Galveston, may fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and not FEMA. That means Galveston County Navigation District No. 1 will have to ask the FHA for the funds. According to federal rules, any activity must be funded only by the agency that is responsible for it. If the bridge does indeed come under FHA jurisdiction, the FHA would be responsible for funding the bridge repairs. FEMA is currently trying to whether the bridge falls under federal or state classification. Navigation district representatives believe they have a better chance of receiving the funds quickly if they work with the FHA. Dealing with FEMA has been a tedious process.
Hurricane Ike Damage
Pelican Island Bridge suffered extensive damage when Hurricane Ike swept through on September 13th last year. Temporary repairs had made the bridge barely usable for Texas A&M staff and faculty, as well as Galveston County maritime workers who constantly use the bridge. Speeds on the bridge post-hurricane dropped to 10 mph, but heavy rains in the middle of March washed out most of the temporary repairs. Motorists using the bridge have found it difficult to drive due to the gaping potholes that now run across the south end of the bridge.
District board members are frustrated at the delay of funds that would pay for permanent repairs to the road. .jpg)
Soon after Ike, the district used its own funds to make temporary repairs to the bridge; FEMA assured the district it would be reimbursed for money spent on repairs by mid March. That was before FEMA realized it may not be responsible for the funding after all.
As agencies and bureaucrats squabble over who is responsible for funding repairs of Pelican Island Bridge, thousands of maritime workers continue to use the barely-patched bridge. These workers are not only being put to great inconvenience, but are also at risk of injuries and accidents.
Maritime workers who've been injured in an accident at work, can recover damages with the help of a maritime lawyer. If you've been injured in a maritime accident, contact a maritime attorney at Arnold & Itkin LLP for a free consultation.
Galveston County Navigation District No.1 paid Texas Gulf Company $1.5 million to repair the bridge, but in early February the project was shut down due to shortage of funds. A local contractor Lamson Nguyen has agreed to take up the task of filling potholes on the bridge free of cost. However, the fact is that the 50-year-old bridge is in need of permanent repairs. The district has no funds available to continue the work and has requested $6 million from the 