Motorists might find their morning and afternoon
commutes hampered by strong winds today, as Tropical Storm Ophelia threatens to
push gusts up to 55 mph along parts of the South Carolina coast.
With winds at that speed, drivers of cars, vans and large trucks might find
it difficult to keep their vehicles steady, especially when driving across tall
bridges. Yet, despite the weather forecast, saying which bridges might close is
impossible.
No formula tells transportation and law enforcement officials when windy
conditions become too dangerous for drivers. Instead, local law enforcement
officials patrol larger bridges, such as the James Island and Isle of Palms
connectors, the Don Holt Bridge on Interstate 526 and the Arthur Ravenel Jr.
Bridge.
They measure the wind speeds, and then call in their findings to officials
with the Charleston County Emergency Operations Center. From there, the
information is relayed to officials with the state Emergency Operations Center
and a decision is made on whether to close the bridge.
"It's hard to peg a (wind) speed, and that's what everybody always wants to
know," said Robert Clark, a district engineering administrator with the state
Transportation Department. "When we close them, it's a decision that's reached
after law enforcement patrols them and feels they are no longer safe."
Clark said a bridge's height, in addition to wind speeds, can affect whether
one bridge closes while another stays open. For instance, the roadway of the
Ravenel Bridge stands 200 feet above the water, making it significantly taller
than other area bridges.
"I could see the Ravenel Bridge closing sooner than the James Island
Connector," Clark said.
Clark said it also is common for smaller vehicles to have access to bridges
for a longer period of time than larger vehicles, such as vans, tractor-trailers
and cargo trucks.
Officials said Monday that they expect the area's smaller bridges to close to
boat traffic, an event that automatically occurs when sustained winds reach 25
mph.
That rule directly affects four area bridges: the two Ashley River
drawbridges connecting West Ashley and Charleston; the Wappoo Bridge, connecting
James Island and Charleston; and the Ben Sawyer Bridge, connecting Sullivan's
Island and Mount Pleasant.
"Traffic will still be going across, but the bridges will not open to boat
traffic," said Curtis Brice, a resident maintenance engineer with the state
Transportation Department. "We are monitoring those smaller bridges. We are all
on standby."
Jessica VanEgeren covers traffic and transportation. Contact her at (843)
937-5562 or jvanegeren@postandcourier.com
