OT - OMG !! Just heard of a bridge collapse in Minneapolis??

I guess that insurance firm of the contractor who was working on it is not happy. omeone just said that they could feel the jackhappers through the roadway.

What did they say? thirty years old?

Karl

Good Lord....

"MINNEAPOLIS ? The I-35W highway bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapsed during evening rush hour Wednesday, sending many cars and motorists into the water.

Authorities tell Fox News that there are between 20- 30 people in the river while witnesses told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that at least 20 cars may have been involved.

Tons of concrete have collapsed and survivors are being carried up the riverbank. Both the northbound and southbound lanes of 35W are lying in the Mississippi River, according to local CBS affiliate WCCO-com.

Pieces of bridge wreckage lay on the east bank of the river, while large portions of concrete roadway lay on the west bank. Rescuers are scrambling to help people caught on parts of the roadway in the river gorge, according to the Star-Tribune.com.

There are multiple cars still in the river and a couple cars on fire. According to one witness, there was a school bus full of children on the bridge, according to reports."

Safe here.

It is about 8 miles from my house, and I use the bridge a few times a month at least. really scary images on our local tv stations!

How about you other local north star chapter guys, you all safe? Brian Roseville MN

54 Champion coupe 48 champion convertible

30 miles from me.My cable is out so I'm in the dark.

Bob40

My prayers go out to all those affected by this bridge collapse. Flathead

How sad..... How strange.. How crazy is the DOT? They had ALL the traffic on one side of the bridge while the other side was being repaired? Wonder what the bridge designers and engineers will say about that. Some security camera movies show the thing collapsing. Surreal... But, on a stranger note... I was going over the Savannah River in Augusta, GA day before yesterday... The bridge was necked down to one lane with the temporary cement dividers in place the length of the bridge. (ALL traffic on one side of the bridge...just like in Miineapolis)... I had been playing catch up/fall back with a whole convoy of Ranger Transportation flatbed trucks taking tanks to Anniston, AL for rebuilding. There must have been fifty of them, all with oversize load banners. So there I am, in between a bunch of them as we cozily crossed that bridge at 35mph (construction zone, and busy traffic).. Didn't think a thing about it. When I saw that movie of the Minneapolis bridge, it made the hair on my balding head stand straight up! Sometimes we go through life in a fog, or a daze...Never knowing the calamities we just missed. Jeff ( Trying not to look back too hard..) Rice

That's actually not suprising, there's several bridges around here with a very "live" feel to them, particularly northbound I-395 crossing the Potomac. Apparently that bridge used to be a drawbridge; if you're stuck in traffic on what used to be the draw span and a heavy truck passes you, it feels very disconcerting.

Now I'm going to be paranoid next time I have to go out to JP's...

nate

Nate - vibrations might be a good thing. Total rigidity sometimes stores stress more easily than simply flexing. Airplane wings go up & down in the wind - that's better than breaking off! Remember the old saw about the mighty oak?

Scary thought!!!

I drove over that bridge on the way to get to your place right after South Bend!!!

Craig