35w Bridge Collapses Over Mississippi River By Uofm @ 6:15pm (Minneapolis: how much, houses)

[AVguy]

CNN was reporting earlier in the day that up to 30 people were unaccounted for. Now, up to 8 people are unaccounted for. No detail was given as to what happened to these 22 people who were previously unaccounted for.

I've heard enough miraculous stories from this disaster to know that His hand was present. Additionally, I couldn't be more proud of our city/metro/state and the people whom live here.

[Lindenin]

Strib and Pioneer Press are both pegging the missing number at 8. Not sure how they get the missing # -- maybe if a family member has called? Not sure if that would count everyone or not.

Either way, I hope that "missing" number becomes as small as possible.

[Jim Stokes]

Fix The Bridge$!!!

Use Bush'$ War Billion$!!!

[findingmesomeday]

What comes to mind is sympathetic vibrations. You've got the pretty steady thump, thump, thump traffic to and fro and squeezed down. You've got the guys jackhammers and otherwise jacking around with the bridge.

I thought about that too. My mind went back to the collapse of the balcony at the Hyatt Regency--was it in Kansas City---many years back. It was determined it was the sympathetic vibrations and the overloaded weight combination that brought it down. If they were fixing the bridge and the traffic was stopped, that could have been the combination.

WA state spent billions retrofitting bridges and overpasses for today's earthquake standards. Many other states are clamoring for federal funds to upgrade their roads. Let's hope this spurs the government into action.

[Lindenin]

The fact of the matter is that this bridge was 43th in line in the state of Minnesota for major repairs. That means there are 42 other bridges around the state that are in more dire shape. Nationwide, that number is in the thousands.

We shouldn't assume that this I-35 bridge was somehow "next on the list" for repairs, and that laziness or redirecting of monies prevented it from happening.

I think it is important to take a step back and look at the issue in a more holisitic light -- Is there anything we learn from this that makes the FEDERAL government change the rating system on bridge repairs? Do we now know that a certain crack in a certain place means "shut the bridge down", not simply put it on the schedule for repairs?

As I read the papers, I see people wanting simple answers. You know -- "so and so screwed up", "the governor vetoed the money to fix this bridge", "the construction crew hit the wrong support beam". I have a hunch that when this is all said and done, it is going to be a collective failure of many different systems that we need to then learn from, not litigate with.

[findingmesomeday]

What concerns me even more is reading how the decisions for ongoing repairs for the bridge were made. For instance, there was rusting/corrosion on bolts. But since the bridge deck had to be jacked up to make repairs and the bolts weren't slipping, someone decided that this could wait.

I can't remember exactly how the cracks in the foundation were handled but I remember thinking "WTF?" when I read about it.

So, in my mind, not only does the funding process need to be overhauled, but there should be an evaluation of the inspection process and the process for which timing of repairs/replacement is made. This bridge, deemed structurally deficient like so many others, wasn't scheduled for replacement until 2020.

[Lindenin]

Originally Posted by NChomesomeday

So, in my mind, not only does the funding process need to be overhauled, but there should be an evaluation of the inspection process and the process for which timing of repairs/replacement is made. This bridge, deemed structurally deficient like so many others, wasn't scheduled for replacement until 2020.

Now you're talking! Let's get away from the "who screwed up" mentality (nobody was calling for heads the day before this happened) and learn from this. What can we change? Where were we wrong? What do we know today that we didn't know a week ago? How can we make sure this doesn't happen again, not who can we fire or who can we sue!!!

[SandyCo]

For anyone who thinks the bridges in their state are somehow safer, please see this link. It looks like no state escapes unscathed! (However, I'm glad I don't live in Rhode Island!)

http://www.latimes.com/media/acrobat...8/31603908.pdf

[findingmesomeday]

Or MA (where I live now)

[Lindenin]

Originally Posted by SandyCo

For anyone who thinks the bridges in their state are somehow safer, please see this link. It looks like no state escapes unscathed! (However, I'm glad I don't live in Rhode Island!)

http://www.latimes.com/media/acrobat...8/31603908.pdf

Wow!!! What a great link. By this standard, Minnesota was actually in the 3rd Best situation in terms of condition of bridges. Now that is sobering......