Costumbres Bridge Collapse (2014)

A picture from 2003 of the old Costumbres Bridge.

On May 13th, 2014, the iconic combined rail and highway bridge across the Río Albañiles at Costumbres in the Ardisphere, collapsed at around 5:15 AM. A freight train was on the bridge and several vehicles, as well. 6 lives were lost.

The bridge, known simply as the "Puente Costumbres," had been a symbol of the area and was one of the oldest high-traffic bridges in the country. The commuter rail RUTA-VC White Line 40 could no longer operate between Aldea Arbórea and Ocho Fuegos, and highway traffic had to diverted to the Puente Armando Bolaños, several kilometers upstream. Bus services were augmented temporarily while the bridge replacement project was fast-tracked by the departmental government and the federal transporation agency.

A scandal ensued when it became apparent that inspection officials had been aware of stretched and bowed gusset plates in the superstructure of the bridge, but had been spending monies intended for detailed follow-up inspections on employee "training retreats." The problem rose as high as the Comuna Río Grande, DC commune executive's office, and two former governors of Departamento del Centro were implicated but so far have not been prosecuted.

The replacement structures are concrete pier bridges, with highway and rail traffic separated to separate spans. The rail spans open in December, 2014, while the highway span opened on May 21st, 2015, to a small ceremony attended by important figures including federal President Montserrat Nowak de Chang.

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