Minnesota Bridge Collapse
The I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota collapsed during rush hour traffic last night. The bridge broke into sections and plunged down into the Mississippi River. Reports of 60 people injured and at least four dead have been changing as new information is brought forward during the recovery efforts. Twenty families are still waiting for word of their lost loved ones.
The Minnesota interstate bridge was undergoing resurfacing and guardrail replacement, none of which were structural repairs. The construction had four of the eight lanes closed, two on each outer edge, leaving bumper-to-bumper traffic on the inside four lanes. It is unknown if this traffic shift had anything to do with the collapse. The I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River is a truss bridge which is significantly different than most highway bridges which may have contributed to the failure of the structure. The bridge had been inspected both last year and the previous year with problems reported, so there will surely be an ongoing investigation into the structural integrity of the bridge prior to the collapse. There is no indication of any terrorist activity related to this incident. News coverage of the collapse is nation wide and very comprehensive. Read more at MSNBC
Filed under: Uncategorized
