McComb selectmen discussed a structural assessment of the downtown parking garage Tuesday with public works director Phillip Russell that revealed deficiencies.
Jeff Laird and Will Dendinger of Laird & Smithers Inc. of Jackson did a structural survey and assessment at the behest of the selectmen to learn the condition of the parking garage and what needed to be done to make it functional again.
The report revealed that the second level of the garage is not structurally sound for parking, and some repairs must be done.
“We don’t want to be parking on the second floor right now,” Russell said. “Stop that until we make these repairs.”
The garage was built in 1973 but had to be repaired only 10 years later because of cracks that formed in support beams.
In 1983, workers installed 131 metal “saddles” along cracking beams and made 35 repairs on the iron angles, Russell said. Now, Laird and Dendinger report that 36 beams are showing cracks, and 32 of them have not been previously repaired.
The garage was constructed with two “double-T” beams supporting the top half and fused to the columns below. The cracks occurred as the garage began to shift.
According to the report, it would cost about $179,000 to completely repair the cracks, clean and reseal joints and re-stripe the parking lines, plus engineering fees.
With these repairs, the second floor would still not be meant for “live loads,” or large crowds of moving people. Though cars weigh more than people, the movement of the group causes more damage to the structure than the car either driving slowly up the ramp or sitting stagnant.
Assessments were done to the garage in 1993 and 2005, with the latter also involving Laird, and the results were the same: no live loads allowed.
Parking on the lower level is still safe, but Russell said no one should be on the second floor of the parking garage until the repairs are completed.
