35W Bridge Tragedy

Every person who lives or has lived in the Twin Cities has gone across that bridge countless times, so in that sense the tragedy hits close to home, even though the odds of being on it at the time of collapse were miniscule. Already I’ve heard so many people say they went over just 15 minutes (or 30 or 60) before it fell. Not surprising when it services 140,000+ cars a day.

Just stunning. Something you could never fathom, even though every time I went across that bridge going northbound, moving into the far right lane so as to exit on University Avenue, I said to myself: “ugh, I’d hate to go over the side…that’s not the way I want to go.”

I wonder if any bikers were going underneath at the time.

AP:

The bridge had been inspected by the Minnesota Department of Transportation in 2005 and 2006 and no immediate structural problems were noted, Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Wednesday.

“There were some minor things that needed attention,” he said. “They notified us from an engineering standpoint the deck might need to be rehabilitated or replaced in 2020 or beyond.”

A federal database, however, showed the 40-year-old bridge had been rated as “structurally deficient” in 2005 and possibly in need of replacement, the Star Tribune reported citing the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Bridge Inventory.

I really hope it was a freak occurance and nothing along of the lines of mathematical negligence (e.g., not doing basic research on the structural effect of closing lanes for the “resurfacing” construction during the height of the rush hour on a Twins night for a bridge rated “4″ out of 9.)

The video just leaves you dumbstruck. Jeff said it well — we all have a connection to that bridge, in some way or another. I drove it a lot, but when I was at the law school I used to run along the river road directly beneath it. I always thought it looked kind of tooth-picky, and was amazed at the volume of traffic it handled — semi-trucks and cars roaring overhead, the decking humming and vibrating.

My amateur analysis: structural deficiencies + humid high-90s heat + = further weakened steel + bumper-bumper traffic = collapse.

Humidity is an interesting factor. I hadn’t thought of that.

Only because it raises the heat index. But I could be talking out of my a**, here.

The 10th Street bridge is also MUCH (1929) older, and was built when concrete was still the preferred medium.

Exactly. Interesting proposal on Minnescraper to consider rerouting the Central Corridor light-rail line over a new 35W bridge. I completely missed it, but a report came out recently determining that the Wash. Ave. bridge can’t support the weight of trains as presently constructed.

The report noted that the Wash. Ave. bridge was built in 1965, and its steel girders may have to be upgraded or replaced in order to accommodate train traffic. I’m sure that report is being examined in a different light, now that a similarly aged bridge relying on steel support has failed.

Now that I think about it more, if the line ran through Dinkytown (along University instead of cutting down onto Washington) I don’t think there would be as much of a need for a tunnel, either. The tunnel alone was to be $150 million.

A bridge collapse pic was on the front page of the SF Chronicle today, too. The pictures are incredibly dramatic. Really tragic stuff.

Sadly ironic. 2nd best rating in the country, most spectacular and tragic failure in the country.

Probably not, given that there are literally thousands (probably over 10,000) of bridges in Minnesota. One less matters not — statistically speaking, of course.

Absolutely. I think he sums it up best when he compares our society to the spoiled off-spring of well off parents. He is probably more accurate than he knows.

The people in power in recent years (baby boomers) have been riding the wave of prosperity that their socially conscious parents produced. The infrastructure and systems that have allowed our country to attain its dominance were created, for the most part, through the energy, sacrifice, and commitment of the “greatest generation” in the 30s through the 60s. The built the projects of the New Deal, fought the Second World War, and came home to lay the foundations for innumerable national institutions. It appears, however, that the “greatest generation’s” greatest failure is its children, who believe that a great country is their entitlement rather than their responsibility.

The Collapse of the 35 W Bridge may be due to Minneapolis’s refusal to complete the Tibetan Sand Mandala Ceremony – and preserving the Mandala, instead of pouring it into the river.

Huh?

The Collapse of the 35 W Bridge may be due to Minneapolis’s refusal to complete the Tibetan Sand Mandala Ceremony – and preserving the Mandala, instead of pouring it into the river.

Awesome.

The Collapse of the 35 W Bridge may be due to Minneapolis’s refusal to complete the Tibetan Sand Mandala Ceremony – and preserving the Mandala, instead of pouring it into the river.

Mandala’s that the monks are doing, are opening up portals into the spirit realm to pull demons into this realm. the Mandala is released into the nearest body of water to release a spirit bomb into the water’s.

Twin Towers 2 Lobby had a Mandala constructed in it 2 weeks before being hit by the plane.

Question: Did these Mandala’s accomplish their Missions?

Atmosphere is pitching in