U.S. BLAMES STATE FOR BRIDGE COLLAPSE POOR MAINTENANCE CITED.(Main)

Byline: Harvy Lipman Staff writer with wire reports

The state Thruway Authority's failure to adequately maintain a protective stone layer known as riprap around the piers of the Schoharie Creek bridge caused its collapse in 1987, a federal agency reported Tuesday.

Ten people were killed when their vehicles plunged 84 feet into the raging flood waters on April 5, 1987.

The findings by the National Transportation Safety Board dovetailed almost exactly with those contained in the state Disaster Preparedness Commission report on the accident issued in December.

The reports agreed that a Thruway consultant in 1977 pointed out the need for repairing the riprap, but that the recommendation was dropped from design plans when the bridge was …