One of the most frequently used “buzz words” in the media lately is Infrastructure, a term used to represent many different things to many different people. One definition of Infrastructure is “the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g., buildings, roads, and power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.” …
Author Archives : Brian J. Leshko, P.E.
Brian J. Leshko (brian.leshko@hdrinc.com) is a Vice President, Principal Professional Associate and the Infrastructure Inspection Program and Practice Leader with HDR, Inc. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is an FHWA National Certified Tunnel Inspector, an FHWA-Certified Bridge Inspection Team Leader, an NHI Certified Instructor (teaching the Tunnel Safety Inspection Course) and a former SPRAT-Certified Level I Rope Access Technician. Brian recently completed 11 years on the STRUCTURE magazine Editorial Board.
Following the tragic ceiling collapse in the Interstate 90 Connector Tunnel in Boston, Massachusetts, on July 10, 2006, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Highway Accident Report, NTSB Number HAR-07/02, identified several safety issues including, “inadequate regulatory requirements for tunnel inspections.” On July 6, 2012, President Obama signed the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which required the Secretary to establish national standards for tunnel inspections. Thus, the impetus for a tunnel safety inspection program can be traced back nearly ten years, with the requirement to develop national tunnel inspection standards mandated nearly four years ago. …