Bridge collapsed (Minnesota)

What a horrible tragedy!!! So sad for all those folks.

I have a good friend that lives in the Twin Cities. I'll be calling him first thing in the morning.

Just returned from a few highway miles tonight and saw this report......
We had one collapse in Ok a few years ago w/ few deaths. Horrible, and can't imagine being on it during the collapse. I didn't read the cause? Ours was a barge that hit a pylon--drunk captain.


Hope everyone is ok. Read that there was one fatality.

I have a friend that is living there right now...and he was just on that bridge yesterday!!! His family is all accounted for ...what a horrible thing!

Just returned from a few highway miles tonight and saw this report......
We had one collapse in Ok a few years ago w/ few deaths. Horrible, and can't imagine being on it during the collapse. I didn't read the cause? Ours was a barge that hit a pylon--drunk captain.


Hope everyone is ok. Read that there was one fatality.

Early reports indicated at least three known deaths, which isn't many considering it happened during rush hour. They mentioned that some light construction such as resurfacing, was being done on the bridge, and that two of the lanes were closed, so I guess that actually made for less casualties and injuries. It seems rather odd that a bridge would collapse for no apparent reason. I think that bridge was built around 1960, if I recall correctly. I know that many bridges in the US have been evaluated and are in need of repair, but damn! Could some shotty engineering or construction really be at fault? Research will show, unless there was a conspiracy and cover up. I wouldn't put anything past the Feds covering up a conspiracy to keep the people as ease. Can you imagine the economic shock if this was an attack by Al Queda?

Yes, there are three SoWallers in that area. Kurt, have you checked on them yet? I'll call them in the a.m.

Early reports indicated at least three known deaths, which isn't many considering it happened during rush hour. They mentioned that some light construction such as resurfacing, was being done on the bridge, and that two of the lanes were closed, so I guess that actually made for less casualties and injuries. It seems rather odd that a bridge would collapse for no apparent reason. I think that bridge was built around 1960, if I recall correctly. I know that many bridges in the US have been evaluated and are in need of repair, but damn! Could some shotty engineering or construction really be at fault? Research will show, unless there was a conspiracy and cover up. I wouldn't put anything past the Feds covering up a conspiracy to keep the people as ease. Can you imagine the economic shock if this was an attack by Al Queda?

Yes, there are three SoWallers in that area. Kurt, have you checked on them yet? I'll call them in the a.m.

I don't know about falling for no apparent reason. You would think a bridge of that magnitude would be inspected every so often. We have really bad roads and bridges here in OK. Many of them need replaced. I thought I remembered hearing that the fed. gov. funds that in some way, and that we don't have funding---sound right? Here is an interesting link,http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=14050 stating that MN actually had a low percentage of deficient bridges. Granted it is a few years old,(try 7) . It will be interesting to see the cause.

When I say that the bridge reportedly collapsed for no apparent reason, I mean that they didn't see a truck run into a structural column, no boats reported running into the footings, no oil tanker truck caught on fire and melted the bridge, etc.

This is sad.
What I have heard is similar to what dunelovers link discusses in that there are not enough inspectors in some States, and a fair amount of bridges are in need of repair.

In 1983 I missed the collapse of the Mianus Bridge in Connecticut on I95 by minutes. I think that bridge was less than 30 yrs old.

Oh my gosh- one of my ex-co-workers just moved there about 2 weeks ago. I hope he's alright- I will have to call him tomorrow