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Review: Systematic errors led to bridge collapse

By WTOP Staff

RACHEL LA CORTE
Associated Press

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Insufficient route planning, a distracted pilot driver and an inadequate permitting process by the state of Washington all played a part in last year’s Interstate 5 bridge collapse north of Seattle, which sent two cars into a river below, the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday.

The board voted unanimously after a nearly two-hour hearing in Washington, D.C., to issue a number of recommendations, including encouraging states to ban nonessential cellphone use by pilot-car drivers and requiring better warnings of low-clearance bridges, as well as lane-specific guidance for bridge clearance.

Chris Hart, acting chairman of the four-member board, said the wide-ranging report provided by NTSB staff showed the “many missed opportunities to prevent this accident.”

“Movement of oversized loads is a specialized operation that demands special precautions,” he said. “What this investigation uncovered were multiple gaps in multiple systems.”

Board member Mark Rosekind said the report showed “there were holes in every one of these slices of cheese.”

A section of the bridge fell into the water in May 2013 after a truck carrying a tall load hit the bridge in Mount Vernon, about 60 miles north of Seattle. Two other vehicles fell into the Skagit River, and three people were rescued with minor injuries.

William Scott, who was driving the truck with the tall load for Mullen Trucking, told investigators a freight truck came up fast on his left. He said he drove to the bridge’s right side, which had a lower vertical clearance than the center lane.

According to the investigation, Scott thought his load was 15 feet, 9 inches — about 2 inches shorter than it actually was. The top of the load collided with the far right side of the overhead truss structure.

The state Department of Transportation automatically issued Mullen Trucking an oversize-load permit over the Internet, without personnel review and without comparing the given dimensions to the proposed route, according to Tuesday’s staff presentation.

NTSB staff noted an automatic permit process does not motivate carriers to conduct route surveys ahead of time to ensure their loads are within the clearance limits.

The pilot vehicle’s driver, Tammy Detray, told investigators the clearance pole mounted on her vehicle never struck the bridge. She also said she was using her cellphone on a hands-free device at the time of the accident.

“Her entire reason for being there was to protect the oversize vehicle and the vehicles that shared the roadway with her, and yet she jeopardized the safety of others because of a cellphone call,” board member Robert Sumwalt said.

Sumwalt asked staff whether the accident could have been avoided if Detray had notified Scott of the low clearance. He was told Scott was following Detray too closely to stop safely.

The investigation showed Scott was about 400 feet, or about five seconds, behind the pilot car, instead of the 865 feet, or 10 seconds, he should have been trailing by.

Safety recommendations also approved by the board include asking the Federal Highway Administration to develop a guide for states on how to prevent bridge strikes by vehicles, including collecting and sharing data, and evaluating and reviewing bridge strike countermeasures taken by states.

In a written statement, state Department of Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson said that the agency has already started working on improving access to data for the freight industry, and it would work with the industry and Legislature for any recommendations that require legislative action.

“We all aim to provide the safest conditions possible for the traveling public,” she wrote.

As for the other changes, including oversight of the permitting process, spokesman Lars Erickson said the agency will move on making changes. “That’s our commitment,” he said.

The 59-year-old bridge carries an average of 71,000 vehicles a day over the Skagit River on I-5, Washington’s major north-south roadway between Oregon and Canada. Workers installed an emergency span and then replaced it with a permanent one in September.

___

Online:

NTSB findings, http://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/2014/mtvernon_wa/abstract.html

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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