WI - 35W bridge in Minneapolis collapses!

[MistyM]

i think there are quite a few kids from that bus in the hospital they were 9-11 years old.

 

[Nova]

Buzzm,

I know what you mean. I've gone over some rickety old bridges and always wondered if they would hold all of the cars. I've thought about this when I have been on a bridge. Seems like there just is not enough funding anymore, and I wonder if this could happen in another city.

It's only a matter of time, I'm afraid. We've neglected our infrastructure so badly, we don't really need terrorists to create man-made disasters.

 

[ceeaura]

Oh this is horrible!! Prayers for everyone.
This is so scary and sad

 

[Laneymae]

i think there are quite a few kids from that bus in the hospital they were 9-11 years old.

Misty, thanks for the info.

I heard that one of the kids on the school bus called his Mom on his cell phone to let her know that he was okay. When she got to the scene, the police and firecrew were trying to find a way for her to hook up with her child.

Such chaos ...

Can you even imagine ...

 

[KR2tonenow]

Fox News reporting now "fatigued structures reported 1 year ago" on bridge.

 

[Texana]

Not more than two days ago my son, and I, were discussing the very poor condition of so much of the infrastructure here in the United States. Something like 25% of our bridges nationwide are in poor condition, and should be replaced.

Couldn't agree more, Buzz. Mr. Texana is a civil engineer with BS/MS and this is a subject we have discussed far too often for comfort.

My heart just goes out to those people and I am just personally sick over this--the safety of our bridges, roads, and buildings is one of the things that every citizen in this country should be able to rely upon.

 

[Jaded]

Is anyone else thinking TERRORISM??????????

I thought it when I saw the photos. I just don't understand how there could be such a catastrophic failure as it appears that there was without some incindiary device, but could have been fractures.

 

[Buzz Mills]

My son came home, and while watching the coverage, one thing that we noticed was, the bridge was in the process of being resurfaced, and there appeared to be quite a collection of road equipment gathered together in one section near the middle of the collapse.

 

[capps]

Such awful news. I thought it was a "given" that a big percentage of our tax money was taking care of our bridges and such. Now I hear there's not enough funding.Well,we have a real dilemma. If there isn't enough funding to care for these things,yet we can't give anymore in taxes ... where are the answers? What are they using our tax dollars for?

I guess this isn't the right time to rant. All the people involved in this tragedy are in my thoughts.

 

[Taximom]

My son came home, and while watching the coverage, one thing that we noticed was, the bridge was in the process of being resurfaced, and there appeared to be quite a collection of road equipment gathered together in one section near the middle of the collapse.

Good observation, son of Buzz.

Oh heavens. That was not a very good idea on the part of the construction crew.

 

[Amraann]

Well this helps my bridge fear!!

 

[SewingDeb]

Same here Amra!

 

[Buzz Mills]

Good observation, son of Buzz.

Oh heavens. That was not a very good idea on the part of the construction crew.

We got a better look, and there was a substantial amount of equipment, some very heavy duty, in that one section.

Note: when the center collapsed it jerked the roadway in both directions, shearing the pins that hold the sections in place, causing those sections to collapse, in place, as they were pulled off their supporting structures/columns.

 

[Amraann]

Same here Amra!

DID I mention that I am moving ????? On the other side if the 7 mile bridge?

 

[Buzz Mills]

Such awful news. I thought it was a "given" that a big percentage of our tax money was taking care of our bridges and such. Now I hear there's not enough funding.Well,we have a real dilemma. If there isn't enough funding to care for these things,yet we can't give anymore in taxes ... where are the answers? What are they using our tax dollars for?

I guess this isn't the right time to rant. All the people involved in this tragedy are in my thoughts.

It doesn't help that we are presently spending over 12 billion a month in Iraq, and Afghanistan, and then also give billions in foreign aid, some of it even for weapons systems. Maybe we need to rethink our priorities, or better yet, have our president rethink his priorities.

 

[Buzz Mills]

it's pretty bad when one of the first things they do is solicit funds to help cover the costs of dealing with the tragedy. They said they just redid the state budget.

 

[Camper]

I have been watching this whole thing develop. My suspicion brain center went into active mode of course.

News of the poor condition of our bridges certainly give special notice to any terrorists who might be watching. Osama's father was in heavy construction in Saudi Arabia. Hmmm. Wonder IF IF there is a lynch pin in this collapsed bridge. One small adjustment and boom?? er, huh?

We drove our camper over the Mackinaw Island bridge in Michigan years ago, scared the bee geebers out of me. Bridge is five miles long.

News said this MN bridge is half the length of the San Fran Bay Bridge.

News also said the adjacent bridge going the other way is looking not too good either. Sport games due so be over soon, with MORE people using the bridge areas.

I want to know the precise cause of this collapse, I have taken a chill pill about terrorism, but.

.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Just yesterday there was a small overpass that collapsed North Of Sacramento, CA--fortunately no deaths, just injuries--a FedEx driver was trapped--he saw his life flash before him, he thought he was a goner.

 

[Jaded]

NOt sure the accuracy of this info:

I work for a bridge component company in NW Ohio and I don't see how something of this magnitude just happens in the midwest not to mention in MN. They don't have earthquakes or any other type of seismic events up there. Don't mean to jump to conclusions but how is something like this not terrorism? Whether it's homegrown or international terrorist or some wacko! But I did see a report where witnesses heard a loud rumble or explosion and that one lady saw the bridge explode up in to the air right in front of her. The normal person doesn't realize the thousands of tons of concrete and steel that are in this big of a bridge. I mean, it collapsed the main span and both approaches not to mention a possible 4th portion. Out in CA this would be something that would happen as a result of an earthquake but not in a midwestern state! I hope the injuries and casualties are at a minimal................... God bless all

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/comments?type=story&id=3438093

 

[Amraann]

it's pretty bad when one of the first things they do is solicit funds to help cover the costs of dealing with the tragedy. They said they just redid the state budget.

Government and State budgets are usually done in July.