FDOT dive teams go underwater to inspect local bridges

Thousands of people drive over bridges in Northeast Florida daily, but what many don't realize is that there is a team of people underneath at any given time working to make sure those bridges are safe.

Thursday, our crew got a first hand look at the Florida Department of Transportation's dive team that spends several days a week in the water inspecting the bases of bridges throughout Northeast Florida.

Thursday, the team was diving at the base of the Roosevelt Bridge, which is only a 20 foot dive.

James Durbin, who has been working with FDOT for the last 12 years, wasn't diving on Thursday morning, but keeping track on a notepad what a diver was communicating that he was seeing under water.

"He's basically telling me if he sees any cracks in the Pyle or smalls, which is missing concrete or exposed steel," said Durbin.

Durbin was also looking out for the diver in the water.

"We try to keep track of his breathing and make sure no boat traffic is coming towards him," said Durbin.

Daniel Uzzan was diving Thursday morning. He said that visibility can be an issue because it's dark and murky.

"You got to feel around the marine growth down there, so we have some visibility, but it's not that much," said Uzzan.

A spokesperson with FDOT said that the deep dives this team has to do is at the Main Street Bridge, which is 90 feet.

For bridges like Roosevelt, they are inspected every two years.

Moveable bridges are inspected once a year. Those that are on FDOT's structurally deficient list are inspected as needed.

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Also Thursday, we watched as Senior Underwater Bridge Inspector David Heuschkel, took a break from the water and inspected the bridge from another viewpoint.

He and his teammate inspected the Roosevelt Bridge directly underneath.

Heuschkel looked for deficiencies while riding in what they call an UBIM, which stands for under bridge inspection machine.

The machine is parked on the bridge above. An arm of the machine carries the inspectors directly underneath the bridge, in the air.

"On a concrete bridge, were looking for small cracks, exposed steel, corrosion," said Heuschkel.

The team said that even though what they do can be dangerous, they enjoy their jobs because its different everyday.

"It's always different, you never know what you're going to see or what you're going to land on, you see sharks, manatees, alligators snakes and all kinds of other things," said Durbin.

Uzzan said he didn't find any problems with bridge during Thursday's dive that hadn't already been recorded before.

Cox Media Group