Could you imagine going through life every day with near-debilitating, chronic back pain? Back pain is one of the most common ailments in America - it's estimated that 8% of all adults, or 16 million people, suffer from chronic back pain in the U.S. every year. If you've never experienced a back injury or pain, be thankful. Chronic back pain affects every aspect of a person's life, from participating in sports to limitations with everyday activities, like cooking dinner. In fact, many people with chronic back pain can't even make a reliable living and put food on the table. Almost 83 million workdays are lost every year due to choric back pain.
The inability to work and provide isn't just a physical issue - it can become an emotional one too. Many people suffering from chronic back pain also suffer from depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, in the past, chronic back pain sufferers wanting to avoid addictive medications and invasive surgeries had few viable relief options. However, if you're suffering from a chronic back issue like sciatica, a pinched nerve, or a bulging disc, pain relief may be closer than you think.
Modern chiropractic care and, more specifically, a spinal decompression chiropractor in Wando, SC, may be the long-term solution you need for chronic back pain.
A common misconception is that chiropractors only adjust your back and neck when, in fact, they treat the whole body with all-natural treatments. Here at Elite Healthcare, our doctors focus on your overall health, not just pain. We want to find and address the underlying causes of your symptoms. If you're unfamiliar with an integrative approach to medicine, this strategy may seem new. Our chiropractic care is less about putting a band-aid on the problem and more about finding a natural, long-term solution to your pain.
Fortunately, our experienced chiropractors provide the best in natural pain relief. Prescription and over-the-counter pain medications mask the symptoms you're experiencing versus getting to the cause of your pain. Pain is often the result of your spine being out of alignment, which leads to nerve issues. Once your spine is back in alignment, the nerves function correctly again.
Because our chiropractic center offers a combination of different therapies and non-surgical treatments, we provide a comprehensive approach to healing. Depending on the extent of your back problems, spinal decompression therapy may be the answer to your chronic pain problems.
Initially developed in 1985 by Dr. Allan Dyer, spinal decompression has been used by chiropractors for years. Unfortunately, spinal decompression is often passed over as a viable treatment, despite its numerous benefits.
In the past, patients suffering from chronic back pain issues like herniated discs were usually prescribed powerful medications. They were instructed to refrain from physical activities, referred to a physical therapist, and sent on their way. While physical therapy has an important role in back pain recovery, some back conditions need a more comprehensive treatment approach. For those patients, surgery seemed like the only option.
Today, patients with chronic back pain have many more options to consider. One of the most effective treatments for serious back pain is spinal decompression. This proven therapy, provided by Elite Healthcare, has been shown to significantly reduce pain and help patients live a normal, even active lifestyle once again.
Spinal decompression, also called Lumbar Cervical Decompression Therapy (LCD Therapy), is a very effective non-surgical solution to chronic back pain problems. If you're like most patients, your back pain is caused by disc issues related to your spine. This type of therapy uses computer technology and a spinal decompression machine in cityname, state, to stretch your spinal column slowly and gently, relieving abnormal pressure on the discs in your back, which sit in between your vertebrae.
This precise stretching action causes negative pressure to form inside the discs in your back, making them retract. With time, this negative pressure causes a reverse vacuum of sorts that actually draws your protruding discs into place. When pressure is removed from the disc segments in your spine, you experience much-needed pain relief.
The primary purpose of spinal decompression therapy is to provide you with immediate pain relief while creating a healthy environment to heal your spinal disc condition. Some of the most common conditions that spinal decompression therapy treats include:
This happens when spinal discs in your back are pushed outside of the spinal canal. When pushed outside of their usual space, these discs can put pressure on the nerves in your spine, resulting in localized pain and pain throughout your body. If a bulging disc is left untreated, it has a high chance of rupturing, which can necessitate surgery and longer recovery time.
Herniated discs are discs in your back that fracture or crack and leak fluid. The fluid or gel that leaks from a herniated disc may irritate the nerves in your back. When this happens, you may experience an intense burning sensation that shoots up and down your lower back and legs.
As you grow older, joints in your body, like your knees and hips, begin to wear away with time. The same thing can happen to the discs in your back. Often caused by heavy lifting or a family history of spine problems, degenerative discs are painful and can lead to serious situations. In advanced cases, bone spurs can form and affect the nerves of your spine.
When a herniated disc or bone spur begins to put pressure on the nerves in your back, it often causes sciatica. Sciatica is a common back problem that causes pain to radiate from your lower back down your legs via your sciatic nerve. Sometimes, this pain is only felt in one of your legs.
This condition is similar to arthritis of your spine, where the cartilage inside your facet joint breaks down and becomes inflamed. The result is often intense neck and back pain. It's most often caused by degenerative changes in the joints located between the bones of your spine.
This painful condition manifests when the space in your backbone is too small. When this happens, pressure impacts your spinal cord and the nerves that travel through it. Like other conditions treated by a spinal decompression therapy cityname, state, stenosis is caused by wear-and-tear in your back, which forms arthritis.
This term is often used to classify a range of back problems, most often caused by a pinched nerve root in your spinal column. This pinched nerve root may occur in different locations down your spine, like the lumbar or thoracic areas. Usually caused by a narrowing of the space where your nerve root leaves the spine, symptoms of this condition include pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness.
If you're looking for a safe way to relieve your chronic back pain, spinal decompression should be on your list of treatments to consider. This painless procedure is backed by research showing higher success rates in many patients when compared to spinal surgery. Unlike many medications, spinal decompression from Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine is designed to correct the condition you're facing while also minimizing costs and eliminating recovery and downtime.
Some of the most popular reasons why patients choose spinal decompression over surgery and other treatments include:
Invasive procedures, like back surgeries, often leave the patient racked with pain, long recovery times, and complications. Sometimes, the surgery doesn't work as intended, leaving the patient responsible for a therapy that didn't work correctly. As a non-invasive treatment, spinal decompression therapy can treat back and neck pain without needles, incisions, or harmful manipulations of the spine.
Getting back pain relief from surgery is far from guaranteed. However, because spinal decompression targets the underlying causes of your back pain, it's a much more effective long-term treatment. Spinal decompression is not a quick fix. When coupled with positive lifestyle changes like losing weight, you can maximize the pain-relieving benefits of spinal decompression.
Surgery of the back and spine requires the patient to be bedridden and uncomfortable for days and even weeks. Recovering from back surgery is no easy feat and often requires strong pain medications to help. Sometimes, back surgeries don't go as planned, causing complications and worse scenarios. Spinal decompression, on the other hand, is very effective and doesn't require much recovery time at all. Once your spinal decompression session is over, you'll probably be able to drive yourself home from our office.
One of the least talked about issues with back pain medications is that they only treat the pain, not the underlying causes. For many patients, relying on meds to relieve back pain fosters dependency on pain pills. Pain pill addiction is a very serious issue in the U.S., often leading patients down a dark path. With spinal decompression, you won't have to worry about taking pills for pain relief. That's because the root causes of your back pain are addressed, not just the symptoms.
If you were to look at the cost of surgery and subsequent years of prescription medication, you might be shocked. When compared to spinal decompression, surgery is a much more expensive treatment to consider. You've got to take the cost of surgery into account, but also the fact that you'll be forced to take time off work. By choosing spinal decompression therapy, you're choosing a safe, non-surgical treatment that doesn't require any time off work.
Spinal decompression relieves pressure on disrupted discs, causing them to retract back into place. This revolutionary treatment also lets oxygen, fluids, and nutrients re-enter your spinal discs, which provides additional healing.
By now, you probably have a better idea of how spinal decompression can help rid your life of back pain. But spinal decompression treatment does more than help with bulging discs, herniated discs, arthritis, and more. It has also been shown to provide patients with important quality-of-life benefits.
As mentioned above, harsh surgeries leave you bedridden and unable to work for long periods of time. Spinal decompression allows you to jump right back into the workforce, so you can continue providing for your family. Plus, reducing your back pain naturally increases your mobility since you won't be stressing about hurting yourself while moving. Instead, you'll be living in the moment.
One of the worst symptoms affecting people with back pain is the inability to sleep well. Sleeping with back pain can be horrible, causing you to toss and turn to find a comfortable spot. As soon as you find one and get settled, your back starts to hurt again. It's a vicious cycle, but adjusting your spine and relieving pressure with spinal decompression will help you get a good night's rest.
Did you know that when your spine is decompressed, it helps fluids circulate throughout your body? These fluids actually flush your lymphatic system, which helps support your overall immune system. Better circulation also benefits your brain and can help boost concentration and memory. The improved circulation from spinal decompression may also distribute oxygen and nutrients to your skin, creating a multi-benefit effect.
We are happy to answer your questions, and help you find the services you need. Please message us to get started.
At Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, we practice an integrated approach to pain relief and chiropractic care. Our goal is to restore your spine to its proper alignment, which speeds up your recovery time and prevents additional injuries. If chronic back pain has taken over your life, it's time to visit our chiropractic office for a thorough evaluation.
Ask yourself this: Have you been suffering from headaches and sleepless nights due to muscle strain? Is your ability to work and put food on the table compromised due to a pinched nerve? No amount of over-the-counter pain medication can provide a long-term fix for such an issue. Thankfully, our chiropractors have years of experience providing relief to patients just like yourself.
After a comprehensive exam, our doctor will create an individualized treatment plan tailored to your body. That way, we can address the full scope of your symptoms by correcting any root causes of your back pain.
From minor chiropractic adjustments to spinal decompression treatment, we'll find the solution that your back and body need to heal correctly. If you're ready to get back on the road to better health, we're here to help every step of the way. Contact our Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine today to get started.
Wando High School’s yearbook, Legend, lived up to its name with the recognition of Best Yearbook in South Carolina by the SC Scholastic Press Association. This marks the second year in a row Wando has claimed this title and the third time overall in the school’s history.This year’s volume was themed “Something Within Us,” inspired by the trials and challenges Wando students faced being in school throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Co-editor for the 2022 yearbook, Lily Higgins, said she and her co-editors wa...
Wando High School’s yearbook, Legend, lived up to its name with the recognition of Best Yearbook in South Carolina by the SC Scholastic Press Association. This marks the second year in a row Wando has claimed this title and the third time overall in the school’s history.
This year’s volume was themed “Something Within Us,” inspired by the trials and challenges Wando students faced being in school throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Co-editor for the 2022 yearbook, Lily Higgins, said she and her co-editors wanted to produce a yearbook that spotlighted the perseverance of Wando students.
“It’s something within us that took us apart and made us go through all these tribulations and come out better,” Higgins said. “What we have inside is what really strengthens us and brings us through tough times. It’s so much more than what is seen on the surface.”
Millie Rice, another co-editor of the 2022 volume, said last year’s staff was dedicated to making a memorable yearbook for Wando students to enjoy after enduring high school amid a public health crisis.
“A lot of the people had that mindset of if they were able to produce such an amazing thing during [the pandemic] then…we can produce something better because things are normal again,” Rice said. “Each person on staff wanted to make the best book.”
The Legend staff took home 12 individual awards. Wando earned more awards than any other competing yearbook in 2022 and won more first-place awards than any other yearbook in the state won total awards.
Clara Barresi, another co-editor for the award-winning yearbook, was also named a top-10 finalist for Designer of the Year by the National Scholastic Press Association. She is the 10th NSPA individual awards finalist in Legend history, and she has won more design awards than any past yearbook student.
Barresi was a designer on the yearbook staff for two years, and as one of three co-editors, she was heavily involved in the design and look of the yearbook.
“It was a way to have an outlet for my creativity throughout the school day,” Barresi said. “It taught me so much about graphic design and I just loved getting there, taking the theme and putting it into a digital asset and using all the different covers and templates.”
“The hard work of these young men and women continues to make me proud, and they continue to amaze me with their talent,” said Wando English teacher Phillip Caston who serves as the school’s yearbook adviser. “Each year, they strive to be even better than the year before, and being the absolute best in the business is their goal with all they do in producing this yearbook. They don’t just want to record Wando’s history; they want to do it with the finest quality of work.”
The following Legend staff members received SCSPA individual awards:
The late Bill Noonan was among the first to notice something special about Kevin Brown.Former Wando High School coach Jimmy Noonan brought his dad in to help coach the Warriors’ running backs in 2014, and the old man couldn’t stop raving about this one young player.“He’d always talk about Kevin Brown, Kevin Brown, Kevin Brown,” said Jimmy Noonan, now the coach at Georgetown High School. “He said, ‘The kid has something special to him.’“He was a little small, just an u...
The late Bill Noonan was among the first to notice something special about Kevin Brown.
Former Wando High School coach Jimmy Noonan brought his dad in to help coach the Warriors’ running backs in 2014, and the old man couldn’t stop raving about this one young player.
“He’d always talk about Kevin Brown, Kevin Brown, Kevin Brown,” said Jimmy Noonan, now the coach at Georgetown High School. “He said, ‘The kid has something special to him.’
“He was a little small, just an undersized kid at that time. But he just had an innate desire to be successful in the sport.”
That desire, along with some speed and skill, has carried the 5-9, 205-pound Brown a long way since he played middle school football for Moultrie and Laing in Mount Pleasant.
He was named an FCS All-American this season to cap off a stellar career at Incarnate Word, a private school of about 9,300 students in San Antonio, Texas. The Cardinals went 10-3 this season, won the Southland Conference title and advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs.
A lot of that success was due to the play of Brown, who rushed for 956 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. In six games last spring, he averaged an NCAA-best 10.5 yards per carry, and finished a three-year career with 2,451 yards and 20 TDs in 31 games, averaging a remarkable 6.9 yards per rush.
He can also catch the ball, with 31 receptions for 312 yards and two TDs last season.
“Not enough can be said about what Kevin Brown brings to the table on and off the field,” former Incarnate Word coach Eric Morris said last spring. “He is a phenomenal person, player and teammate.
“He is a threat to take the ball to the house anytime he touches the ball whether it is a handoff or a catch. I’m so proud of the way Kevin comes to work every day.”
That work ethic dates back to at least Brown’s years at Wando, where he played on teams with future South Carolina Gamecocks in quarterback Bailey Hart and receiver OrTre Smith.
“He was always willing to put in whatever time and work was necessary,” said Jimmy Noonan. “He has all of those intangibles, and is special with the football in his hands.
“His senior year, he was everything to us offensively. And honestly, his effectiveness in the backfield enabled us to distribute the football to a young receiver named OrTre Smith. That’s one reason OrTre was so successful, is that folks could not double up on him because of what we had coming out of our backfield.”
Brown ran for almost 1,800 yards and 20 touchdowns his senior season, averaging 8.9 yards per carry. Noonan said some questioned why he took Brown to the Shrine Bowl that season, but Brown led all running backs in rushing yardage in the all-star game that features top seniors from North and South Carolina.
When it came to college recruiting, Brown admits he did not have the grades at the time to sign with a Division I program. He went instead to Highland Community College in Kansas.
“It was my grades,” he said. “I didn’t understand how they looked at grades, and that kind of messed me up when it was time for recruiting.”
But Brown earned his degree from Highland and played well enough — with 857 rushing yards and 10 TDs in his second season — to earn an offer from Incarnate Word.
“There were some ups and downs,” he said. “It was definitely a struggle. JUCO is a different breed, especially where I was at. Highland is in the middle of nowhere — 30 minutes to the nearest city, 15 minutes to the nearest McDonald’s and Walmart.
“There’s nothing but cattle and cornfields, and it’s cold. But the players and people there made it fun.”
At Incarnate Word, Brown proved himself as one of the top running backs in FCS. But he says he’s not done.
In December, he announced on Twitter that he was declaring himself eligible for the NFL Draft.
“I wouldn’t be the man I am today without hurdling through every challenge presented to me and learning every day I stepped on the field,” he said.
The NFL odds might be against a 5-9 running back, but Kevin Brown is used to that.
“I think he’s got a chance,” Jimmy Noonan said. “The thing he needed to do was prove he could run between the tackles and be physical and durable enough to last, and he’s done that.
“His speed checks off, his hands check off and being able to throw to him out of the backfield. I think he can be that scat back folks are looking for.”
MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (WCIV) — The S.C. Dept. of Transportation plans to shut down both sides of the Wando Bridge twice in the coming months, meaning a reinstatement of controversial lane reversals on Interstate 526 while repair crews work on the maligned James B. Edwards Bridge.Kevin Turner, an S.C. DOT engineer overseeing the I-526 Wando Bridge repair project, confirmed the lane reversal plans to ABC News 4 on Thursday. Repair work on the east and west side of the bridge is set to start "sooner than later," he says....
MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (WCIV) — The S.C. Dept. of Transportation plans to shut down both sides of the Wando Bridge twice in the coming months, meaning a reinstatement of controversial lane reversals on Interstate 526 while repair crews work on the maligned James B. Edwards Bridge.
Kevin Turner, an S.C. DOT engineer overseeing the I-526 Wando Bridge repair project, confirmed the lane reversal plans to ABC News 4 on Thursday. Repair work on the east and west side of the bridge is set to start "sooner than later," he says.
Fortunately, traffic impacts shouldn't be as significant for daily commuters. Turner says the lane reversals only will occur on two single weekends.
On both weekends, Turner says the lane reversals will start after evening rush hour on Fridays, and end on Sundays. The exact weekends for the closures haven't yet been determined, says Turner.
The lane reversals won't be the only impacts of the Wando Bridge repair work.
(MORE | SCDOT following 14 recommendations to improve Wando Bridge)
Turner says there will be an additional four weekends during which individual lanes on both the eastbound and westbound sides of the Wando Bridge will be closed for ongoing repair work.
Also, the trucking lanes on the east and west sides of the bridge, which are currently closed, will remain closed through the duration of the repair work, according to Turner.
Concrete barriers will be added along the closed trucking lanes to enforce the closure and protect workers, Turner says.
Freyssinet USA has been selected through a bidding process as the contractor to handle the $4 million repair. Turner says the construction company is one of a handful in the world qualified to take on the project, as their engineers specialize in post-tensioned box girder bridges such as the Wando Bridge.
The $4 million project will be paid for using a combination of state and federal dollars, Turner says.
Repair work is expected to start this summer, and continue through the first quarter of 2020. An exact timetable has not yet been established.
Turner says local mayors will be the first to know of the timetable for the lane closures and construction developments overall.
Repairs will be made to both the eastbound and westbound sides of the bridge, with contractors working to implement 9 of 14 repair and improvement recommendations made in a January 2019 comprehensive report on the bridge's issues.
The bulk of the work will be repairing corrosion damage caused by water leakage, and improving the structure to prevent water-related damage in the future, Turner says.
On May 14, 2018, DOT officials closed the westbound side of the James B. Edwards Bridge after discovering extensive corrosion and degradation to key parts of the bridge caused by water leakage.
The westbound side of the bridge was deemed unsafe for travel, while the eastbound portion — while in need of repair — was determined to be safe for continued use.
Initially, eastbound I-526 traffic was allowed to continue as normal, while westbound traffic was detoured onto U.S. Hwy. 17 over the Ravenel Bridge.
After nearly a week of extensive traffic congestion in the Mount Pleasant area because of the bridge closure, the DOT elected to reverse one lane on I-526, installing paved crossovers on the Mount Pleasant and Daniel Island approaches to the bridge, and placing dividing cones over the bridge.
The reversal allowed one lane of westbound I-526 traffic from Mount Pleasant to flow across the east side of the Wando Bridge toward Daniel Island and North Charleston.
DOT plans to enact a similar traffic pattern with the impending lane reversals, Turner says, but this time both sides of the bridge will close for a weekend apiece.
That will mean westbound traffic being diverted again into eastbound lanes over the bridge, and vice versa.
When the lane reversal was put in place last May, the move was appreciated by drivers and elected leaders East of the Cooper in 2018, but was criticized by drivers who commute to Daniel Island and Mount Pleasant from West Ashley, North Charleston, Summerville, Goose Creek and beyond.
North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey was vocal in his disapproval, feeling the lane reversals failed to consider the broader impact on traffic in the greater Charleston area.
Turner says DOT this time around has been in frequent contact with Mayor Summey, Mayor Will Haynie of Mount Pleasant, the Port of Charleston, and other local stakeholders, letting them know the potential impacts well in advance.
"We have been apprised of the timing and the plans," Haynie said in response to Thursday's news. "The object is to get complete the repairs we all so painfully became aware of last year, and we are glad to see them occurring."
"I also support the weekend lane reversals because it lessens the impact on the tens of thousands of Mt. Pleasant residents who commute on workdays," Haynie added.
Mayor Summey couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
(Clarification: This story's original headline said the lane reversals would happen in Summer 2019. S.C. DOT officials asked us to clarify that while it's very possibly the reversals will happen in the summer months, it's not certain. The reversals will happen sometime between now and the first three months of 2020.)
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The history and evolution of software supply chains How to build a robust and scalable 3PL integration orchestration solution Improving supply chain performance with the Law of Marginal Gains April retail sales see gains, report Commerce and NRF Supply chains must evolve to achieve success with product-as-a-service models More News Improving supply chain performance with the Law of Marginal Gains Learn How To Improve Supply Chain Performance on a Shoestring Budget: Download The Free White Paper Now. All Resources
Fifteen ship-to-shore cranes at the Port of Charleston now stand 155 feet above the wharf deck at Wando Welch Terminal. With five cranes to a berth, the terminal is now capable of efficiently working three 14,000-TEU vessels simultaneously.
The new ship-to-shore cranes have 155 feet of lift height and the ability to reach out over 22 containers to work the biggest ships calling the East Coast. Crane operators efficiently move containers on and off ships, helping to keep the supply chain fluid.
“It is truly remarkable to see the final crane of our new fleet moved into place on the Wando Welch Terminal wharf. This is the culmination of years of effort, planning and coordination by our team and project partners,” SC Ports president and CEO Barbara Melvin said. “Our modern equipment provides smarter operations and more fluidity for the supply chain.”
The cranes are a key part of SC Ports’ $500 million investment to modernize Wando Welch Terminal. The multi-year project enhanced capacity and operations with new container-handling equipment, a modernized container yard and refrigerated cargo yard, improved traffic patterns and IT systems, a strengthened wharf, and an on-terminal transload facility for mega retailers.
“SC Ports boldly invests in infrastructure ahead of demand, ensuring we have the capabilities and capacity to meet our customers’ needs,” Melvin said. “Our SC Ports team and broader maritime community put in the work every day to make these investments successful.”
Maintaining fluidity
In addition to investing in port infrastructure, SC Ports continues to deploy creative solutions for the supply chain.
SC Ports has extended Sunday gate hours for motor carriers through at least peak season, given berth priority to vessels taking out more cargo, significantly improved rail dray dwell times, hired more than 150 people in operations to handle the influx of cargo, and launched a port-owned and port-operated chassis pool.
These efforts have helped SC Ports maintain fluidity. There have been no vessels waiting since early May, though supply chain challenges continue along the East Coast.
SC Ports handled 216,097 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and 119,872 pier containers at Wando Welch Terminal, North Charleston Terminal and Leatherman Terminal in July.
SC Ports moved 21,034 vehicles at Columbus Street Terminal in July, a 36% increase year-over-year. Inland Port Greer and Inland Port Dillon reported combined 11,383 rail moves in July.
“We are continuing to be adaptive and responsive to ensure fluidity for our customers and cargo owners,” Melvin said.
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MT. PLEASANT, SC (WCSC) - The SCDOT said major problems with the James D. Edwards Bridge were first noted during a 2010 biennial inspection.That inspection report and following final report were released Thursday following the press conference to announce the bridge would open on Saturday.The findings included signs of water intrusion, corrosion and even pictures of duct tape being used for connections in the bridge.The Wando River Bridge was open to traffic in 1991 and almost immediately had some cracking issues the sta...
MT. PLEASANT, SC (WCSC) - The SCDOT said major problems with the James D. Edwards Bridge were first noted during a 2010 biennial inspection.
That inspection report and following final report were released Thursday following the press conference to announce the bridge would open on Saturday.
The findings included signs of water intrusion, corrosion and even pictures of duct tape being used for connections in the bridge.
The Wando River Bridge was open to traffic in 1991 and almost immediately had some cracking issues the state had to repair.
Fast forward to 2010 to the first reports that water was getting into places it shouldn't be and causing potential corrosion.
One report even detailed inspectors found duct tape being used in numerous locations to hold connections.
Who originally did that and why is unclear.
We now know corrosion is what caused a cable to snap two years ago and again this month.
"It's clear to me from looking at the documents you see before you that these bridges have been problematic almost from the beginning, especially with regards to water intrusion," said Christy Hall with SCDOT.
In 2010, inspectors noticed strange white deposits under the bridge and said there were serious durability issues.
Water from the deck was getting inside, penetrating the tendons and cables and causing potential corrosion.
A year later engineers gave the state five priority one recommendations for the bridge.
On Thursday, the SCDOT said of those, four items have all been completed.
But the fifth recommendation, "Perform load rating analysis for EB and WB bridges," has still not been completed.
That is a formal test of the weight the bridge can safely handle.
"Structural engineering analysis and modeling has been completed and occurred, but a specific load rating analysis has not been completed at this time but is currently included in the current scope of work for the asset management contract."
Basically, they are working on it.
The bridge originally cost tax payers more than $32 million dollars, and we've spent at least $8 million more on repairs and inspections.
That doesn't include this month's work which the state is still calculating.
May 28, 2010: Inspection Report
October 2011: Final Report from May 2010 Inspection
An October 2011 report stated the "unusual" finding of white deposit material on several locations of external tendons during the regular biennial inspection which prompted further investigation.
Unprotected holes were also located in the tendons along with grout leakage and "inadequate corrosion protection" of the tendons.
SCDOT officials said during their press conference on Thursday that these holes were later filled.
"It is suspected that there may be many more locations where grout vent tubes are not completely filled with grout (or perhaps, are filled with a degraded grout)," the report stated. "Such situations provide a direct path for air and water…to reach tendons."
Recommendations made then included the repair of all tendons mentioned in the report, to seal the grout tubes, and to document the water intrusion.
A third priority recommendation included an inspection of vertical tendons in the pier columns.
We'll continue to look through all of these documents and bring anything notable to light.
Copyright 2018 WCSC. All rights reserved.