"Who thinks about culverts — those anonymous-like structures motorists traverse over daily without likely giving a thought to their age and condition or the general purpose?
Often overlooked and not routinely prioritized in maintenance and construction planning over the years, these ubiquitous, yet essential structures have been a part of our infrastructure landscape since the advent of the federal highway system during the 1940s and 1950s.
More than just part of the highways we travel on, culverts serve a critical purpose, as they allow water to flow under roadways, railroads, trails or any other obstructions. They are, in fact, also labeled by many Departments of Transportation (DOTs) as “bridges” in their official paperwork as these structures may be used as bridge-like structures to carry traffic. Taken for granted by the general population, structural deterioration or other damage to these structures can result in catastrophic road failures.
Back to the question of who thinks about culverts — DOTs do, or at least they have in recent years.
Trenchless methods have been a part of pipe rehabilitation and replacement for more than 40 years; federal mandates and consent orders have aided in this push over time, forcing owners and municipalities to address their systems. But culverts and other drainage structures have been a different tale and were virtually ignored during a time when sanitary sewer and water line repairs took center stage."
"Culverts Need Trenchless Attention" from Trenchless Technology | July 9, 2020: https://trenchlesstechnology.com/culverts-need-trenchless-attention/
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