Bridge collapse in Twin Cities, MN

by frozen one 54 Replies latest jw friends

  • frozen one
    frozen one

    Christ almighty! The whole I-35W bridge fell into the Mississippi River! Cars and trucks in the river. The news footage showed a school bus on a section of the collapse! There are a lot of posters from the metro area on the board. I hope all of them are okay. What a disaster...

    http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_213191448.html

  • ex-nj-jw
    ex-nj-jw

    That's horrible!! I hope the JWD'rs in the area check in to let us know they are ok!

    nj

  • Gopher
    Gopher

    I work in downtown Minneapolis (posting from the office now) about 2 miles or so away from the bridge.

    This is just awful. There was a lot of construction around and on that bridge, and this collapse is no doubt related to that.

    I am in utter shock.

  • greendawn
    greendawn

    Some civil engineers didn't do their job properly if it just collapsed. New bridges shouldn't.

  • Gopher
    Gopher

    To clarify, this isn't a new bridge. I've been taking it about once a month as I rarely go northeast from Minneapolis.

    The roadwork was being done north of the bridge and on the bridge too.

    Edited to add: According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation website, here's what had been planned for this road, called 35W:

    ROSEVILLE, Minn. -- Nighttime bridge overlay work will require Minnesota Department of Transportation crews to temporarily restrict traffic to a single lane on I-35W.

    The northbound lanes of I-35W between I-94 and Highway 36 will be restricted to a single lane from 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 31, through 5 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1 and again from 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1, through 5 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 2.

    Southbound I-35W will be restricted to a single lane from 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1 until 5 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 2.

  • frozen one
    frozen one

    Minn. Dept. of Transportation (MN-DOT) is saying that the bridge has been inspected regularly as it is a high traffic bridge and no structural problems had been found. If that is true, maybe there was some concealed flaw in the bridge. Minneapolis is not in an earthquake zone. Homeland Security is on scene of course. I guess an attack can't be ruled out at this point. Given the number of cameras MN-DOT has pointed all over the place, I would have to believe that the collapse was recorded.

    Good to hear your okay, Gopher. Maybe some more will check in when they get the chance.

    Added: Homeland Security reports that there is no indication that an attack occurred.

  • Miss Bliss
    Miss Bliss

    Eek! This is awful just finished watching the news, terrible.

  • rolling rock
    rolling rock

    OMG...I was working on the railroad tracks under that bridge today. My railgrinder was about 1 block away when it happend. I'm in shock!!!



  • ex-nj-jw
    ex-nj-jw

    Gopher and Rolling Rock glad you are ok

    nj

  • stillajwexelder
    stillajwexelder

    I know -just watching it on Breaking News on CNN right now - In was on that road 2 weeks ago

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