BettaBuddy ~ Miley

OMG!! the bridge in minneapolis, mn collapsed. i use to live in MN and go over that bridge ALL THE TIME!!!! Miley

Bonochick

I was so horrified to see this on the news, my heart goes out to the people who have been affected by this.

COBettaCouple

yea, i used to have a friend that got nervous when she'd go over a bridge.. that's a terrrible tragedy and happening at the busiest time too (which i guess might have been a factor if the bridge was in need of maintenance and just couldn't support the weight.) a couple dozen people didn't make it home from work.. really a terribly sad thing to happen.

I really feel for those families and i'm sure glad you and your family weren't on that bridge, Miley. *hugs*

Tom

I get nervous when I cross a bridge or go in an elevator.
Tom

BettaBuddy ~ Miley

Oh thank you so much!! we found out that one of our family members if their plans hadnt changed the exact moment they did - they would have been one the bridge the exact time it collapsed!!! Miley heres a video of it -

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/08/02/vosli.mn.i35w.bridge.collapse.side.view.cnn

sirdarksol

The bridge was being worked on, but it was only surfacing work, not structural work. Actually, it was a very good thing that the bridge was being worked on at that time, because 35W (the highway the bridge is on) is packed from one end of the Cities to the other throughout rush hour, but the bridge was down to only one lane each way due to the work they were doing. Since there are normally eight lanes, there could have been four times as many people on that bridge.
Honestly, while I am horrified by this, I think that there is too much of a knee-jerk reaction to what has happened. As far as I've read, the last major US bridge collapse was in 1967 (oddly enough, I believe that this was also on 35). This is a pretty good track record, especially when you include areas like the Twin Cities Metro Area. We've got three huge rivers running through our area, with dozens of bridges spanning them. People in the area are now pointing fingers and laying blame, saying Tim Pawlenty (who I despise, by the way. One of the worst politicians ever) is to blame because he wouldn't raise road funding. But this bridge was inspected in 2004 and was rated as safe. I've heard some people describe the incident as an explosion, with a couple of people being thrown into the air. The bridge had a relatively new de-icing system in it. I'm wondering if, with all of the hot weather we've had, pressure in that system built up and all of the regulators and fail-safes gave out.

BettaBuddy ~ Miley

my mom was watching the news and they said there are people trapped in their cars under the bridge and they dont know if they are dead or alive.... they have scuba divers out there now. Miley

sirdarksol

Yeah. The divers have it pretty rough. Even with a lock system nearby helping to control the river, the debris is creating a lot of bad currents, and the debris itself presents a hazard. In many cases, they can only get near enough to a car to read the license plate and identify a potential victim in that way.

BettaBuddy ~ Miley

ya..... sad. Miley

COBettaCouple

yea, a lot of terrible tragedies there, like the trucker who burned alive and the people drowned in their cars. i wonder what they'll find the cause to be and if last winter or that resurfacing work were factors.

Tom

The only kind of funny thing about that, is if there are any fish looking in on the people, it is a reverse-aquarium.
Tom

BettaBuddy ~ Miley

omg that is funny!!!

0morrokh

Little late response to the post, but it is such a tragedy. It's so fortunate that only a few people were killed...could have been a lot more. The collapse actually made world news...I was in China when it happened, and we heard about it very soon after it happened.