MassDOT: Manhole cover inspections found nothing ‘to indicate a threat to public safety’

A state police officer sprays a ring around the manhole cover that crashed through a car windshield on Friday. David L Ryan / Boston Globe

By Dialynn Dwyer @dia_dwyer

February 13, 2016

1 minute to read

The crews deployed to inspect all manhole covers, sewer grates, and electrical panel covers on Boston’s highways and ramps did not find anything any structures to be insecure or “to indicate a threat to public safety,’’ according to the state Department of Transportation.

The crews began conducting the inspections on Friday after a manhole became dislodged from the surface of I-93 southbound inside the O’Neill and crashed through a car windshield, killing the driver, 35-year-old Caitlin Clavette.

The crews inspected 919 structures from Friday afternoon through Saturday morning, performing “cautionary maintenance’’ at 65 of the sites “out of an abundance of caution,’’ Highway Administrator Thomas Tinlin said in a statement:

Crews deployed for the inspections did visual inspections, drove their vehicles over and struck each metal cover with various tools to see if there would be any give or shift. At the smallest amount of movement, crews took action in welding covers. No covers at any of the 919 locations were deemed possible for immediate failure.

Tinlin said the department will work with state police and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office as the investigation into the cause of Friday’s fatal accident continues.

“Employees of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation work daily to make the safety of the public the number one priority with responsibilities they handle professionally and on behalf of the workforce, I would like to offer condolences to the family, friends, and students of Caitlin Clavette, who are going through a difficult time in dealing with her loss,’’ he said.

Since “no major issues’’ were found during the inspection, he said the investigation will not be expanded to include highway hardware outside of Boston at this time but that department personnel have been asked to “increase vigilance during the ordinary course of business in noting the status of pavement structures.’’

Manhole covers, such as the one in Friday’s crash, weigh more than 200 pounds, MassDOT said. The manhole that caused the crash covered a storm drainage system and was last inspected June 12, 2014.