I 35W Bridge Collapse.

[MM_Dandy]

Wow. I have to admit I was a little shaken when I heard the news. I just used over that bridge this weekend. I have a few friends and acquaintances up that way, but none of them use it on a daily basis. Still waiting for word from a couple of them, though.

Are you still located in the cities, pumpkinpie? I see that you've visited the board today, so I take it that you and friends and family are ok.

[Arneb]

Terrible. My condolences to everyone who lost someone.

The collapse is big in the news over here. There was even a very preliminary review of the bridge's construction principles and possible reasons for it's collapse in one of our respectable newspapers (here, for those reading German).

[pumpkinpie]

Wow. I have to admit I was a little shaken when I heard the news. I just used over that bridge this weekend. I have a few friends and acquaintances up that way, but none of them use it on a daily basis. Still waiting for word from a couple of them, though.

Are you still located in the cities, pumpkinpie? I see that you've visited the board today, so I take it that you and friends and family are ok.

I and my fiance are fine.....the friends and coworkers I've heard from are fine. I haven't heard from all yet, so it's possible I know someone who was involved. But very unlikely. No news is good news, so far! Thanks for the concern.

I'm glued to Minnesota Public Radio today. Fortunately the bridge is not on a route I frequent. I think I've been across it once or twice in the year (OMG has it been a year already?) I've lived here.

[umop ap!sdn]

Saw the story and some of the videos on Yahoo. So many trapped underwater.

There have been reports of the bridge having received a low rating for stability a couple years ago. I'm no structural engineer but I would think that would have at least indicated that something like this was possible.

[The Beer Slayer]

There have been news stories talking about the country's decaying infrastructure for years. It takes something like this before people listen. BE prepared to see a lot of old sound bites being dredged up where you see engineers talking about this very thing.

[Blue Monster 65]

MSNBC had an interview with an engineer/beaurocrat today. The woman kept badgering him about "why didn't this get noticed; why didn't it get fixed?"

He kept his cool, but I really wanted him to say, "You know why? 'Cause none of you fuckers wants to PAY to have our infrastructure fixed - THAT'S why!"

Sheesh! It's obvious, isn't it? Don't get me wrong - I feel bad for those who died, but to come out and wonder stupidly why something like this happens just seems to me to be dodging the issue of you have to eventually pay to play, you know?

Eh ... I'll get off it now. My friends in MN are apparently all safe and sound, though Jackie did have to find a new way to work that night. She was a bit shook up by it and glad she didn't go in early.

Woof! - Scott