35W Bridge Collapse

[goldenboy]

Amazing. I'm not sure how many folks are unaccounted for. I've heard 20, 30...

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1ab_1186054443&p=1

http://wcco.com/slideshows/local_slideshow_213194533

Traffic around the Twin Cities has always been crazy busy. 35W, notoriously so. With this section out of commission for...years(?), just can't imagine.

[N4H]

It's amazing how many people lived - 79 hurt.

They're saying 4 lanes in either direction. That's a lot of traffic to redirect.

Apparently it's old technology, so when one section goes down the whole thing goes down. They'll be reinforcing old bridges now.

[prydain]

Geez that's insane. I'm glad the death toll was low. Must've been scary for the people watching.

[goldenboy]

What I found so weird was people who just sort of "rode" the the bridge down to the water level...their cars intact, still resting in the lanes of the bridge. Some people weren't even really injured.

They've got divers searching for bodies in submerged cars. Hard to say how bad it's really gonna be. Prez Bush is coming in on Saturday I guess.

[sk8rj06]

Man, it sucks how unexpected things can just happen like this. And it's so fortunate only 4 casualties have been confirmed. I hope that number stays low as they continue investigating.

Ugh. This will be great for conspirators. I can only imagine the conspiracy theories that are gonna pop up based on this.

[Miffed67]

I think about this when I cross old bridges sometimes, especially the I-40 bridge in Memphis....that thing looks like it's going to fall down ANY minute....and it's a LONG way down to the Mississippi! Also, that bridge that collapsed several years ago in Little Rock.....I've been on that several times and it kinda gives me the creeps. Of course, it's practically new now.

I feel badly for everyone even remotely involved in this disaster, what a horrible thing to have happen! You never really know, do you? You could be anywhere...at any time.....

[prydain]

I think about this when I cross old bridges sometimes, especially the I-40 bridge in Memphis....that thing looks like it's going to fall down ANY minute....and it's a LONG way down to the Mississippi! Also, that bridge that collapsed several years ago in Little Rock.....I've been on that several times and it kinda gives me the creeps. Of course, it's practically new now.

The Memphis bridge isn't THAT bad lol. But I'm going to scared next time we drive out that way (November) now. lol. If that bridge ever did collapse hardly anyone would survive, I think, it's a pretty deadly river. ha

[N4H]

Morbid question, but I gotta ask. What's more freaky - bridge crash, or tunnel crash?

[Mr Pointy]

I was surprised and glad that there weren't more fatalities in the bridge collapse...it was just on the TV news here and they were talking to some of the kids from the school bus...bless them, they had a typical kids' reaction...almost like they thought it was a slightly more dangerous theme park ride. Though they did play a cell phone conversation that was allegedly one of the kids talking to her Mum that sounded really out of place...we both thought it sounded like a much older person performing lines...

To go with what n4h asked, there was an incident in the Channel Tunnel today, which caused Mrs P and I to remark that we wouldn't want to be trapped there for six hours - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/6929713.stm - but on the whole, I reckon I would prefer getting a little hot and stuffy under the Channel (not that I'd like it much) than flying off a bridge into the Mississippi.

[Miffed67]

The Memphis bridge isn't THAT bad lol. But I'm going to scared next time we drive out that way (November) now. lol. If that bridge ever did collapse hardly anyone would survive, I think, it's a pretty deadly river. ha

I'm telling you, every time I see those big steel girders.....I think to myself...speed up, speed up!!! LOL! It's probably fine, it just looks old and rickety and it's high! There are SO many bridges and ramps in Dallas that are tall like that, too, and they give me the creeps! Maybe it's that I'm afraid of heights, not the bridges themselves.....

Morbid question, but I gotta ask. What's more freaky - bridge crash, or tunnel crash?Funny, the first thing I thought of when I read this was the Channel Tunnel and then I scrolled down and read Mr. P's post! For me - definitely the bridge.

[Storm]

I'm telling you, every time I see those big steel girders.....I think to myself...speed up, speed up!!! LOL! It's probably fine, it just looks old and rickety and it's high! There are SO many bridges and ramps in Dallas that are tall like that, too, and they give me the creeps! Maybe it's that I'm afraid of heights, not the bridges themselves.....

I have bridge fear as well and I honestly don't know if it's the bridge or the height. Cause I'll gladly get on an airplane and peruse the mountains as we cruise by. But every time I cross a bridge, I can't even glance off into the water without getting that uneasy feeling in my stomach. There was a bridge I had to cross in Florida a few years back...Can't remeber...I think it was around 5 miles long. I thought I was going to hyperventilate. LOL.

And as for N4H's question I think I'm with Mr. P...I'd rather brave the tunnel than the bridge...

[Miffed67]

I found a website that gives information on deficient and obsolete bridges, Deficient and Obsolete Bridges (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20093413/) and more on Minnesota's rebuilding plans, Here. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20142686/?GT1=10252)