Minneapolis bridge collapse

I was surprised too, faerie, but I didnt want to post it. And as sad as it sounds, I honestly dont care. lol. Isnt that awful? I was watching one of my favorite TV shows when that report broke in, and all I could think was, "But whats happening on the show?! What am I missing?!"
 
reminds me of what happened in New Orleans and what will happen in San Francisco. they knew there was a serious problem, but chose to do nothing about it. ridiculous. and very sad.
 
True enough, clubby. Hell, even the repairs here arent being done properly (allegedly)..

I feel bad for those that lost a loved one due to the ineptitude of the gov't agencies that are in charge of these things. Stupid gov't.

I tell you what, if theres ever another revolution, Ill fight.
 
you say you want a revolution... well, you know... we all wanna change the world...

you can't fight, LS- after the revolution, women will be in charge, and we'll need someone to cook for us.
 
This is a sad situation. Did anyone see the video of it collapsing? The whole thing went, not just a little at a time. I also noticed that this bridge had no middle supports in the water.

Before we left S Fla there was a big concern on the bridge that went to Sanibel Island. It had huge visible cracks! I knew a guy that drove over it everyday twice to get to and from work! I was so nervous for him - hopefully they have it fixed by now...
 
More than 70,000 U.S. bridges deemed structurally deficient

BY LEDYARD KING
Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON - About one of every eight road bridges nationwide is classified as "structurally deficient" by state government officials, federal statistics show.

Despite the ominous label, transportation experts say the vast majority of those bridges are not in danger of collapsing like the Interstate 35W span in Minnesota that crumpled Wednesday, sending evening commuters into the Mississippi River.


Of the nearly 597,000 bridges carrying cars and trucks nationwide, 73,764 - or roughly 12 percent - have been identified as having structural problems, according to the 2006 National Bridge Inventory compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
They range from a high of 27 percent in Oklahoma to 2 percent in Arizona.

The Minnesota bridge had been identified as deficient but was still considered "fit for service," Dan Dorgan with the Minnesota Department of Transportation told reporters Thursday in a televised news conference.

Under federal rules, most bridges at least 20 feet long that carry vehicles are required to be visually inspected by the state every two years. A span can be tagged as structurally deficient if deterioration in its decks, beams, pilings and other supports is bad enough to warrant weight restrictions.

"If the bridge is determined to be unsafe, the structure must be closed," according to the Federal Highway Administration.

But most bridges considered structurally deficient are still being used while being upgraded. Often trucks above a certain weight are restricted from the bridge.

The administration also identifies 80,000 bridges as "functionally obsolete," which usually means they are inadequate for the flow of traffic such as four lanes of highway funneling onto a two-lane bridge.

Federal transportation officials, including U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters who toured the collapsed bridge Thursday, say motorists should not be alarmed by the "structurally deficient" label. States do a good job of inspecting bridges and take steps to make them safe, they said.

Transportation expert Frank Moretti agrees, saying the percentage of bridges with structural problems has declined from 14 percent to 12 percent over the past five years. Moretti is the director of policy and research for The Road Information Program, a nonprofit organization financed by the transportation industry.

But states need more money to rebuild old bridges that are being patched together so they can last a little longer, he said.

"You've got an aging system of bridges that is carrying an increasing volume of traffic," Moretti said.
 
clubchick said:
you say you want a revolution... well, you know... we all wanna change the world...

you can't fight, LS- after the revolution, women will be in charge, and we'll need someone to cook for us.
Click to expand...

So I can be the Cookery General? Nice. Ive always wanted a cabinet position! (but Ill take it in any position :eek:)
 
Kadin'sMama said:
This is a sad situation. Did anyone see the video of it collapsing? The whole thing went, not just a little at a time. I also noticed that this bridge had no middle supports in the water.

Before we left S Fla there was a big concern on the bridge that went to Sanibel Island. It had huge visible cracks! I knew a guy that drove over it everyday twice to get to and from work! I was so nervous for him - hopefully they have it fixed by now...
Click to expand...

They are building a new bridge to Sanilbel, part of it is already completed :wave:
 
Kalina said:
They are building a new bridge to Sanilbel, part of it is already completed :wave:
Click to expand...

Hey thanks for the update Kalina! I havent talked to my friends down there in awhile and the event in Minn made me think about it!
 
If you want to do something about changing the government, look into Ron Paul. He is running for president in 2008. He has a lot of good stuff to say.
 
Faerieglamour said:
If you want to do something about changing the government, look into Ron Paul. He is running for president in 2008. He has a lot of good stuff to say.
Click to expand...

Pff. Theyve all got good things to say. The problem is that theres no way to tell who is actually going to keep their platform promises.
 
Faerieglamour said:
If you want to do something about changing the government, look into Ron Paul. He is running for president in 2008. He has a lot of good stuff to say.
Click to expand...

Never trust anyone with two first names. ;)
 
Ron Paul sounds a little too much like RuPaul




rupaul_lookinggood.jpg
 
clubchick said:
you say you want a revolution... well, you know... we all wanna change the world...

you can't fight, LS- after the revolution, women will be in charge, and we'll need someone to cook for us.
Click to expand...

Clubby, in case you haven't noticed, the women ARE in charge.
 
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