5.3 magnitude quake north of Las Vegas initiates bridge evaluations

#EARTHQUAKE Magnitude-5.3 quake hits rural area in Nevada; felt 100 miles away in Las Vegas http://t.co/llY3hIGFti http://pic.twitter.com/mMI6XtnRu0

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) May 22, 2015

The Las Vegas Sun reported Friday afternoon, May 22, that a 5.3 magnitude earthquake occurred in Caliente, Nev., north of Las Vegas, prompting at least one freeway ramp closure to inspect for possible structural damage.

Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman Tony Illia issued a statement that “the U.S. 95 southbound ramp to I-15 southbound is currently closed due to possible structural damage.”

He went on to reiterate the strength of the state’s bridge program, statistically. “NDOT inspects its 1,100 bridges statewide at least twice a year. All of our bridge structures are designed to withstand rigorous wind and earthquake loading…. Nevada consequently has some of the best-rated bridges in the country, according to a recent report by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association. Only 1.8 percent of Nevada bridges are classified as structurally deficient, which is the lowest in the country. The national average is six percent.”

Nonetheless, a wide inspection effort in the aftermath of the quake was ongoing, he said.

from Overdrive http://ift.tt/1IQcWAR

Sourced by Quik DMV - CADMV fleet registration services. Renew your registration online in only 10 minutes. No DMV visits, no lines, no phone mazes, and no appointments needed. Visit Quik, Click, Pay & Print your registration from home or any local print shop.