Big John Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Of what I saw so far, the repair work going on was non structural in nature. I saw the structural components as a cantilever truss, which could be "fracture critical", but I can't tell of the limited photos I saw of it. On fracture critical, if a single "tension member" fails, the whole bridge can quickly collapse, and the multiple steel beams could fail iin several ways. I saw another view of it with the center pier exposed. The bridge was fracture critical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avernus Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 this is making me sick to my stomach...unreal. I'll pray for those affected by this. yeah I could easily see this happening anywhere..... I mean...when you consider the people who build these structures....THEY ARE PEOPLE.... I have no faith in people.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outshined Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 some pics: http://www.startribune.com/10136/gallery/1338445.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Wow. I work with a bunch of people in Minneapolis, but I think they're all on the SW side of town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8tank Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 The fall at its highest point would have been 200+ feet No way, maybe 75, they are saying 1-3 confirmed dead. They shut down a bridge we use everyday last year and rebuilt it, it is a concrete span bridge about 100' off the water... was very inconvienent, but I am glad they did it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Prayers and lots of prayers to anyone affected. There are going to be way more than the confirmed 3 dead. Living in a a city of bridges this makes me think about the hugh cracks that I look at while I drive around my town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Horrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxfactor Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Prayers and lots of prayers to anyone affected. There are going to be way more than the confirmed 3 dead. Living in a a city of bridges this makes me think about the hugh cracks that I look at while I drive around my town. Amen to that. Man, the live pictures on CNN are inconcievable. My prayers out to all affected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 A police officer on the scene said that he personally saw at least 7 dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egret Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 terrible story ...heart breaking ..prayers definitely to all effected and their families Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I was on I-94 which goes east - west through the city about 6:25 and all the traffic had to pull over to let a police truck through towing a boat. At the time I said to my wife there must have been some serious boating accident on the river because the police boat was coming from Lake Minnetonka area. About the same time one of the overhead road info signs was saying I-35W was closed north of I-94 and sure enough when I got to the interstate interchange all the northbound traffic was being redirected east. Still had no idea what was going on. On the way back from St Paul, I-94 was near empty and I only saw the news when I got home about 7:45. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMikeinNY Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 so sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxfactor Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I was on I-94 which goes east - west through the city about 6:25 and all the traffic had to pull over to let a police truck through towing a boat. At the time I said to my wife there must have been some serious boating accident on the river because the police boat was coming from Lake Minnetonka area. About the same time one of the overhead road info signs was saying I-35W was closed north of I-94 and sure enough when I got to the interstate interchange all the northbound traffic was being redirected east. Still had no idea what was going on. On the way back from St Paul, I-94 was near empty and I only saw the news when I got home about 7:45. Man, I hope all of you guys' families and friends are ok. This is like watching a nightmare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBalla Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 (edited) This is tough to watch. There are so many huge bridges crossing the Mississippi River. I cross one often in Baton Rouge. This couldn't have happened at a worst time during rush hour traffic. A school bus??? My thoughts are with all of you here from Minnesota. Edited August 2, 2007 by SuperBalla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Skinman Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I was on I-94 which goes east - west through the city about 6:25 and all the traffic had to pull over to let a police truck through towing a boat. At the time I said to my wife there must have been some serious boating accident on the river because the police boat was coming from Lake Minnetonka area. About the same time one of the overhead road info signs was saying I-35W was closed north of I-94 and sure enough when I got to the interstate interchange all the northbound traffic was being redirected east. Still had no idea what was going on. On the way back from St Paul, I-94 was near empty and I only saw the news when I got home about 7:45. Man, glad you are okay. I just happended in from football practice and am completely floored. I've been over that bridge before when I was stationed in the northern tier. It never even really occurs to me that something this horrific could happen. Like many others have already mentioned, coming from city filled with bridges (Portland, OR), now I have one more thing to worry about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 amazing, say a prayer for those affected Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystykoekaki Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 (edited) I live in Minneapolis and work in St. Paul and this is my way to work (well not anymore), so I travel this road TWICE daily (only once today). Extremely scary knowing that the bridge itself was in that bad of a shape to collapse. It didn't surprise me though because they have been working on the bridge for the past few weeks and they have ONLY done improvements on the surface of the bridge, NO improvements on the structural underlining of the bridge. Also the bridge has seen extremely stress these few weeks as jackhammers and other heavy equipment have been pounding on the surface of the bridge. So I think that it was the fault of the construction crew that was working on the bridge.....at least that's how it will play out, anybody with half a brain who travels it daily would know that. Scary to know that if it happened one hour later, I would of been on it ....but I pray for those who have been lost and hope that the death toll stays at a minimum. Edited August 2, 2007 by Mystykoekaki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I live in Minneapolis and work in St. Paul and this is my way to work (well not anymore), so I travel this road TWICE daily (only once today). Extremely scary knowing that the bridge itself was in that bad of a shape to collapse. It didn't surprise me though because they have been working on the bridge for the past few weeks and they have ONLY done improvements on the surface of the bridge, NO improvements on the structural underlining of the bridge. Also the bridge has seen extremely stress these few weeks as jackhammers and other heavy equipment have been pounding on the surface of the bridge. So I think that it was the fault of the construction crew that was working on the bridge.....at least that's how it will play out, anybody with half a brain who travels it daily would know that. Scary to know that if it happened one hour later, I would of been on it ....but I pray for those who have been lost and hope that the death toll stays at a minimum. Glad you're OK. If I had a buck for every time I've crossed that bridge I'd be a wealthy man. There are equally massive bridges crossing the Mississippi all over the metro - all will need to be checked out immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I live in Minneapolis and work in St. Paul and this is my way to work (well not anymore), so I travel this road TWICE daily (only once today). Extremely scary knowing that the bridge itself was in that bad of a shape to collapse. It didn't surprise me though because they have been working on the bridge for the past few weeks and they have ONLY done improvements on the surface of the bridge, NO improvements on the structural underlining of the bridge. Also the bridge has seen extremely stress these few weeks as jackhammers and other heavy equipment have been pounding on the surface of the bridge. So I think that it was the fault of the construction crew that was working on the bridge.....at least that's how it will play out, anybody with half a brain who travels it daily would know that. Scary to know that if it happened one hour later, I would of been on it ....but I pray for those who have been lost and hope that the death toll stays at a minimum. It is the fault of the state. They regulate bridges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Savage lives in Savage - Southwest of downtown. I don't think he would reugularly take that route. Yea I doubt it. I'm not from the Twin Cities, but they said it was University Ave and I-35. University goes cross town from Mpls to St. Paul. Probably not the way you'd travel 10 miles but WOW! I first heard about this when I was just getting out of my car to go into the grocery store. And Rochester TV is covering it. The twin cities is where the Mississippi River begins to divide the Wisc/Min border. They said that the crew working on the bridge was only doing cosmetic repair and nothing structural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Many were traveling to the Twins game when this happened. They called off their game for tomorrow. My news is about an hour old, I haven't hear much since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Many were traveling to the Twins game when this happened. They called off their game for tomorrow. My news is about an hour old, I haven't hear much since then. The ground breaking for the new baseball stadium has been called off also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I had just crossed the bridge one half hour before it collapsed. I had my two daughters and my neighbor's two daughters in the car with me. I'm too stunned to be shaken at this point. It doesn't look good. They are reporting that a Homeland Security vehicle is on site. Glad to hear that you weren't involved it this thing. I can't imagine the thoughts people will have of driving across a bridge after this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystykoekaki Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 (edited) I-94 is gonna suck tomorrow. Edited August 2, 2007 by Mystykoekaki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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