The latest “Day in the Life” video issued by the South Carolina Department of Transportation focuses on the work of its bridge inspection teams.
[Above image by the SCDOT]
The video focuses on Bridge Inspection Supervisor Spencer Cox, who is responsible for inland and coastal bridges in SCDOT’s District 5. The agency noted that Cox and his crews inspect close to just under 1,600 bridges every year – structures located in swamps, rivers, and in coastal waterways.
“We typically inspect bridges on a 24-month cycle,” he explained. “When we go to a bridge, we typically check the topside first – the decking and the railings. Then we go under the bridges to check abutments, pilings, and the bottom of deck, pretty much everything we can’t see from the top of the bridge.”
Cox noted that working in and around water means he and his crews often encounter dangerous wildlife in the course of their bridge inspection duties.
“Being down around the edges of the water, you are dealing with snakes,” Cox pointed out. “Alligators are a little different situation. If we see an alligator in the water, we will go back to the bridge another day when it is a little cooler and they are not as active. Alligators don’t bother you too bad, but just knowing they are there makes you uneasy when you are in the water.”
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