35W Bridge just Collapsed - Page 3

AJ · 08-01-2007

It's crazy. Just an earie feeling. My mom called me tonight while I was at Porkys, and I answerd the phone with "no mom, I wasn't on the bridge". I guess our family in IA had been calling around trying to get ahold fo the 3 cousins that live in the cities just in case.

One thing it's nice to see is the people living in the apartments nearby who got down to help before anyone else.

I'm going to be gluded to the tv for the enxt day or two.

FattyBoomBatty · 08-01-2007

What I'm thinking is there was a jackhammer going and it caused a resonance and the prior stress cracks gave out completely.

tim · 08-02-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by FattyBoomBatty

What I'm thinking is there was a jackhammer going and it caused a resonance and the prior stress cracks gave out completely.

Why dont we just wait til we know the real truth.

BuildADSM · 08-02-2007

its crazy to see this.... its personal pictures of what I am watching on the national news. So far away from me but it still hits close to home.

runninW.O.T. · 08-02-2007

good luck to all you people who have to try to get around down there today!

MATCHBX · 08-02-2007

From what MNDOT was saying it was only superficial repairs (cosmetic mainly) that were going on at the time. Nothing structural at that point.

Anybody know which construction company it was working on it? Most likely they are one of my customers.

Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved. The families of those injured and killed, the workers and families and of course the rescue and recovery people on the scene having to deal with this kind of devistation.

Bountang · 08-02-2007

This never happens here in the midwest, only on the coast, my thoughts and prayers are out to everyone. My story with this bridge goes like this. I work at Westside VW during the day, i work at CD Warehouse Roseville at night. My commute consist of 394 to 94E to 35W to roseville. i'm on that bridge from 3:40 to 3:50 couple times a week. it that would have happened around the time i'm on there i would be in a totally different state of mind.

Matt D. · 08-02-2007

I drove in to work this morning from Snelling and 36 down 280 and got off on Territorial. It was probably the fastest commute to work I've ever had. There were far fewer cars on the road as normal, easily less than half as many

36 goes down to 1 lane where the 35W North exit is, then merges with one lane from 35W South. 280 is a breeze with the traffic lights green and no turning happening there. They also closed off the entrances to the steel place right there so no semis can get in or out.

98gstaherns · 08-02-2007

I heard about it last night from my mom. It scarey to see that happen. This all over the news here also. In the galley today everyone on base was wacthing. I feel helpless. My prayers to familes

Bunta · 08-02-2007

At first my girlfriend told me it was the Rober St. Bridge and I was like "uhh I was just on there" and then I turned on the t.v. and heard it was the 35w bridge.
It's insane, words can't even explain what's going on in everyones head right now I'm sure.

May the lord take care of those who were unfortunate.

Enes · 08-02-2007

i'm usualy on that bridge anywhere from 5:50 to 6:30 depending on traffic, but i generaly now days work from home so i'm good...

unfortunately for others tho ... pretty sad

-E

AJ · 08-02-2007

Good Old Pres Bush was on TV talking about helping, but spent more time blaming the Democrats about being too slow with passing bills in congress. Yeah, like that made the bridge fall down. This is going to become a political subject now and it's a joke. Send more crews to double to triple up on finding people, cleaning up, and fixing the shit. Bridges out by us are going up in less that a year, they should be able to push this through and help people asap.

Enes · 08-02-2007

IT IS SO SAD that politics use such an event to push their shameless agenda....

SHAME ON HIM!

**Kracka** · 08-02-2007

DoughtCom · 08-02-2007

I'm glad I take the exit right before it since I work on Washington.... would have pissed me off if my Evo ended up in the river.

I'm glad the death count isn't higher (yet) it's really tragic. I hope everyone on here and everyone they know is ok, it's a damn shame it happened.

According to my architect friend, whenever you work on a bridge you close it. Taking pieces of the concrete out can either knock something loose on the supporting beams and or mess with the structural integrity since the 1 piece slabs are what help keep it stable.

Enes · 08-02-2007

he is such a puppet, so thats why its easy to hate on him.

**Goat Blower** · 08-02-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enes

he is such a puppet, so thats why its easy to hate on him.

Are you guys on crack? Because GWB didn't spend his entire regular morning speech on this, he's the asshole? It's big for us, but there's a lot more going on in America than just this. It's very sad, but the world doesn't stop when a tragedy happens. To make it the first part of his regular address is a very nice touch, and I thought his wording was right on the money. I don't really care about the rest of America's politics right now.

Sad as this is, I just wonder how the democrats will tie up all kinds of time trying to figure out who to blame for this. It's a sad thing, it happens, the best thing we can do is be more aware of it and proactively look at structures and keep them in decent shape. Blaming so and so is a waste of time.

Our prayers are with the those who are hurt or dead, and the missing 30 or so people who are probably gone as well.

Enes · 08-02-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goat Blower

Are you guys on crack? Because GWB didn't spend his entire regular morning speech on this, he's the asshole?

No i was just upset that he had to sneak in the "oh they are slow" bit in with such an accident.
Out of respect for the accident he should not have done that. He should of just said a few things that they are working on getting and supporting the local government etc etc..

**scheides** · 08-02-2007

I think Dick Chaney shot the bridge, and that's why it fell.

niterydr · 08-02-2007

Thoughts and prayers go out to the family. I wish all the sideline engineers and theorists would shut the fuck up and think of the positives.

1)Traffic was low in physical count at that time.
2)Traffic wasn't moving along at 55mph, thankfully there WAS construction on the bridge to divert/clog traffic flow to other major routes.
3)The amount of civilians that responded was simply amazing. There are dozens upon dozens of reports of people in street clothes helping out rescue crews for up to the first hour of rescue operations.

Yes there was a construciton crew on it, yes they were doing resurfacing. Yes the bridge was found to be in "minimal operating standards", there were cracks, but no-one thought it was due for repairs until the year 2020.

Let the facts come out first before everyone starts theories, there will be plenty of time to debate about this accident (not incident) for the time to come. Lets just hope they find some of the remaining 20 missing people alive.