Bridge collapses into Mississippi

[jose]

BBC NEWS | Americas | Bridge collapses into Mississippi

[A key road bridge over the Mississippi river in the US state of Minnesota has collapsed in the evening rush hour killing at least seven people. At least 60 were injured when part of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis gave way at 1805 (2305 GMT) on Wednesday. As the structure buckled, up to 50 vehicles were hurled into the water. The US Department of Homeland Security said there was no reason to suspect the collapse of the bridge, which had been undergoing repairs, was terror-related.

[Zeebadee]

We will now see our politicians establish a massive new federal program, staffed by thousands, to inspect every bridge and overpass in the United States. All for our safety, of course.

[The Decider]

Quote by: Zeebadee We will now see our politicians establish a massive new federal program, staffed by thousands, to inspect every bridge and overpass in the United States. All for our safety, of course.

Actually, we won't. All federally owned bridges get regular inspections. Funding the expensive repairs for substandard bridges, like the one in Minneapolis, is another matter entirely. In fact, this particular bridge was one of many around the nation rated as "structurally deficient" and possibly in need of replacement.

Timely federal money for timely federal repairs of "structurally deficient" federal infrastructure IS for "all of our safety"; or at least the safety of the millions of average Americans and businesses that depend on that safety everyday.

4 dead in Minneapolis bridge collapse - U.S. Life - MSNBC.com

[LadiesMan217]

I heard on the radio this morning that there is still around 30 people missing which means that we can probably expect 30+ more deaths because I can only think of one reason why they would be missing. The whole thing is very tragic.

[Zeebadee]

Like I said above, we're gonna need a whole new program, financed by the taxpayers, of course, to inspect every bridge for safety.

"US bridge safety review ordered"
BBC NEWS | Americas | US bridge safety review ordered

Never mind that we already have the governmental agencies that are SUPPOSED to be doing this. Our "leaders" need to appear to be doing something, so they'll throw a ton of money at the problem.

Incidentally, we had 6 more GI's killed in Iraq on Wednesday and Thursday, one more than was killed (so far) on the bridge. One short sentence on the national news for the GI's, 3 days of non-stop coverage (so far) for the bridge. Somehow, our priorities in this country have gone horribly wrong.

[christibe]

So far, the death toll is six, though divers are in the water.


If my mom took the job at UM Hospital, she would have had a near-1 probability of being on that bridge. It was a bit distressing waiting for her to call me back Wednesday night...
She phoned on her way in to work tonight, in the other city, and I got to wait until she finished crossing the bridge she was on... she's cool, of course, but I thanked her for the trauma. :)


Poor kids, poor people... god....

msnbc i think it was says that in 2005 that particular bridge, I 35W over MS river scored in the lowest 4-5th percentile of quality. And scored horribly in 1990.

[thx1138]

Quote by: Zeebadee Like I said above, we're gonna need a whole new program, financed by the taxpayers, of course, to inspect every bridge for safety. "US bridge safety review ordered" BBC NEWS | Americas | US bridge safety review ordered Never mind that we already have the governmental agencies that are SUPPOSED to be doing this. Our "leaders" need to appear to be doing something, so they'll throw a ton of money at the problem. Incidentally, we had 6 more GI's killed in Iraq on Wednesday and Thursday, one more than was killed (so far) on the bridge. One short sentence on the national news for the GI's, 3 days of non-stop coverage (so far) for the bridge. Somehow, our priorities in this country have gone horribly wrong.

The news likes to milk anything like this happening, the deaths in Iraq are not bringing in the viewers.

[Nono]

Quote by: Zeebadee We will now see our politicians establish a massive new federal program, staffed by thousands, to inspect every bridge and overpass in the United States. All for our safety, of course.

For the past 30 years the Main Mantra in US politics has been Cut Taxes! Let's Get the Gummint Off People's Backs! Bad Taxes, Nasty Taxes!

Result? Governments cut in places they hope no one will notice, like maintenance for public infrastructure. They just hope their luck will hold till they're out of office. But increasingly there will be cases like in Minneapolis, or New Orleans LOL.

Pathetic.

[Sarah22]

Luckily, 4 of the lanes were closed due to construction and the traffic was at a near stop. Otherwise more people would have gotten injured or killed. People are speculating that the construction workers did something, causing it to have uneven distribution of weight and forces.

[Nono]

Well it would be interesting to know what you have to do overcome all the failsafe redundancy designed into such a structure.

[Wailer]

Sad, sad, sad news. And the Twins will get a new stadium.

[Chancellor]

Quote by: The Decider Actually, we won't. All federally owned bridges get regular inspections. Funding the expensive repairs for substandard bridges, like the one in Minneapolis, is another matter entirely. In fact, this particular bridge was one of many around the nation rated as "structurally deficient" and possibly in need of replacement. Timely federal money for timely federal repairs of "structurally deficient" federal infrastructure IS for "all of our safety"; or at least the safety of the millions of average Americans and businesses that depend on that safety everyday. 4 dead in Minneapolis bridge collapse - U.S. Life - MSNBC.com

What happened to all that money that was supposed to go into the Federal Highway Trust Fund? Why is it even the federal government's responsibility to pay for bridge repairs? What happened to state and local governments paying for this stuff in their territories? Minnesota, for example, has a budget surplus. Minnesota was also taking money and spending it on routing a light rail around a pedestrian walking path - a light rail that very few people use, by the way.

[Chris]

I dont know what happened to all that money, Chancellor, is that the same pork that gives millions to build a bridge in Alaska to an island - where 50 people live?

[Nono]

Quote by: Chancellor What happened to state and local governments paying for this stuff in their territories?

Quote by: Garrison Keillor Our (Minnesota's) governor has twice vetoed a 7.5-cent increase in the state gasoline tax to pay for road and bridge repair.

( Rest here: Bridges aren't supposed to fall down | Salon.com )

As I said above, if you demonize tax-collection to fund public works (what Keillor refers to as "tax cuts for the comfy"), you make it kinda difficult to run a complex society.

[christibe]

Well said, Nono.


Unfortunately though, taxation = socialism, right then?
amazing how difficult it is for my fellow americans to make the long overdue leap to rational thought. The sad truth is that it seems most people think that since some tax money gets used underhandedly, ALL tax money must get used that way, so, no money should ever be collected for taxes. too bad bush-n-co. only prove this fallacy correct.

Decider- it is why levees get inspected, but not fixed, after all....
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Let's please not forget the actual people who did die because of this-.
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[Chancellor]

Quote by: Chris I dont know what happened to all that money, Chancellor, is that the same pork that gives millions to build a bridge in Alaska to an island - where 50 people live?

There is an actual highway trust fund (much like the Social Security trust fund) in which is supposed to be federal money for things like road and bridge repair. This is not some pork barrel spending scheme like the "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska.

[Chancellor]

Quote by: Nono ( Rest here: Bridges aren't supposed to fall down | Salon.com ) As I said above, if you demonize tax-collection to fund public works (what Keillor refers to as "tax cuts for the comfy"), you make it kinda difficult to run a complex society.

I demonize federal tax collection to fund things that are the responsibility of state and local governments. I don't give a rat's behind about this being a "difficult society" to run, we have a Constitution that is the absolute law of the land. There is no constitutional authority for your leftist wealth redistribution schemes.

[Technosoul]

Quote by: Chancellor I demonize federal tax collection to fund things that are the responsibility of state and local governments. I don't give a rat's behind about this being a "difficult society" to run, we have a Constitution that is the absolute law of the land. There is no constitutional authority for your leftist wealth redistribution schemes.

The fear of socialsim and so called "pork projects" means that our nation's interstructure will just continue to crumble due to no maintanence. Anyway the bridge is part of a federal highway that runs through a lot of different states. Products transported on those interstate highways are needed by people in all the states where those highways pass through, it embodies our total and national transportation system overviewed in Washington DC.

[Chancellor]

Quote by: Technosoul The fear of socialsim and so called "pork projects" means that our nation's interstructure will just continue to crumble due to no maintanence. Anyway the bridge is part of a federal highway that runs through a lot of different states. Products transported on those interstate highways are needed by people in all the states where those highways pass through, it embodies our total and national transportation system overviewed in Washington DC.

It doesn't matter that it's part of the federal highway system, maintaining roads and bridges is the responsibility of local and state governments. If there is no maintenance happening to roads and bridges then it's the fault of the states and localities and not the federal government! Again, there is a federal highway trust fund (which is not a pork project any more than the Social Security trust fund is) from which states can receive additional funds for such things as repairing interstate highways and bridges. Here is some information on the Federal Highway Trust Fund: Highway Trust Fund

[Technosoul]

Quote by: Chancellor It doesn't matter that it's part of the federal highway system, maintaining roads and bridges is the responsibility of local and state governments. If there is no maintenance happening to roads and bridges then it's the fault of the states and localities and not the federal government! Again, there is a federal highway trust fund (which is not a pork project any more than the Social Security trust fund is) from which states can receive additional funds for such things as repairing interstate highways and bridges. Here is some information on the Federal Highway Trust Fund: Highway Trust Fund

According to the link you provided the highway fund expired on September 30, 2005. It is now 2007. You are dabating with "has been" data that is not directly related to current situations.