New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has released a report that raises concerns about how the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is handling their responsibility for inspecting rail bridges across the state.
“The gaps in the railroad bridge oversight program uncovered by my auditors are troubling,”DiNapoli said. “DOT needs to do a better job making sure it’s on the same page with the railroads and the federal government so the public can be assured it is not in danger.”
The report reveals a laundry list of red flags:
- outdated, or completely absent management plans
- no procedures for following up and requesting plans
- incomplete and inaccurate inventory of bridges
- no active monitoring of inspection certificates
- poor coordination with Federal Railroad Administration
Thirty-eight different railroads own or maintain the nearly 3,000 railroad bridges in New York. NYSDOT is responsible for inspecting 48 of these bridges, and their inspection program is largely administered by one person.
This arrangement hasn’t been without problems. Eight required inspections were missed between 2010 and 2012. One bridge went nearly 17 years without a bridge maintenance plan. And there were missed opportunities to share information and reduce duplication of effort with federal administrators.
Clearly, this is not a job for one person. With NYSDOT’s operating budget cut to the bone in a tough financial environment, the agency has been forced to cut back key personnel that help to keep the public and our economy safe from harm. While the Comptroller has provided a clear to-do list for the agency, unless additional resources from Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature are secured to do the job right, safety will inevitably be compromised for all of us.
