Secrets of the City

It’s this bridge
MPR reports.
KARE11 reports.
Jason is on the scene, reporting.

Lots of wild speculation on the various channels. Can’t wait for some more “official” word to come out.

That is some freaky stuff. DeRusha is on the air right now giving a blow by blow.

Could people who have to go that way start checking in. Yepnope, I left you a voicemail but phones are royally fucked so…

I’m praying for everyone to get home safely.

I hope everyone is safe. I hope for the best for those out there. This all just looks so sureal. Be well all.

Cell phone companies are asking people to avoid unnecessary phone calls as the system is overloaded.

I tried calling some friends up there and it took 5 or 6 times to get through.

Here’s the first eyewitness report I can find.

Very scary stuff. Never saw this coming. We use that stretch of road quite often.

My text messages are delayed too. But I heard from Rich and he’s ok. He was going that way, but didn’t take 35. I hope everyone else is safe too.

I don’t understand where all the rush-hour cars went. I’m speaking to a Henn Co Dep Sheriff relative who’s down there, and they’re not seeing many cars in the water.

Very scary. I am wishing everyone involved well.

KSTP tv has been interviewing a few people who were on the bridge…they said it shook and then pancaked.

Glad amber and rich you are OK

Live Feed on KSTP.

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S106209.shtml?cat=1

Live Feed on KSTP.

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S106209.shtml?cat=1

Apparently, bobby_b, a lot of them were able to back up and reverse in time. Hopefully that’s the case and not that most of them are already totally submerged in the river…

Thanks, Kwatt…

KSTP said 30-50. They are talking to a safety engineer now.

KSTP said a May 2006 inspection noticed cracking in the steel structure at the girders under the roadway and their connections.

This is so scary. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I pray that everyone is okay.

I hate network news! aggghhhhh

I was six blocks from the bridge when it happened. Indoors. Didn’t hear a thing. Took the skyway home and that’s when I found out.

Glad amber and rich you are OK

Well, I’m not Amber, but she’s ok too.

The service road off of St. Anthony Main (the one with the big “authorized personnel blah blah” on the cul-de-sac near the UofM steam plant/Stone Arch Bridge terminus) led right down to a spot underneath the 35W bridge, providing a nice view of the locks, the Stone Arch, and the Guthrie/Mill City area. I’d ride my bike down there on Sunday morning, and sit on one of the concrete supports to “just chill for a bit”.

As I’m kinda familiar with the area… that’s a really big fall.

I was just down there a few weeks ago taking some pictures… After I get home I’ll try to post the pictures I took of the bridge’s structure/support beams… not that they’re going to reveal anything; just as some kind of rememberance or somethign. Damn. This really is surreal.

There’s a lot of media and individuals throwing theories, rumors and various bits and pieces of history around without context.

hope everyone is ok

Shit, now I’m worried about yepnope.

Local blogs checking in:

Afterglide is okay
Transit Librarian is okay
First Last and Always is okay
Mediation is okay
Birdchick is okay

What’s there to throw around, Aaron? The bridge collapsed. There was road construction on it, along with the usual heavy traffic.

With the construction going on north of the bridge, and the freeway reduced from three lanes to two lanes or one, I would imagine those who could have avoided the construction zone were already doing so, thus the bridge was not carrying as much traffic as it might otherwise have carried.

Driving into downtown before six, I drove south under the bridge to 4th St. I did notice quite a bit of “parked traffic” around 5:45 on the bridge, due no doubt to the lane reduction further ahead. I’m wondering if the extra weight (lbs per square inch) was a contributing factor in the bridge collapse?

A 2001 analysis by the U found that the structure should not have fatigue cracking in the “foreseeable future” accd to KSTP.

KSTP has live video of people on stretchers being taken into HCMC.

MnDOT is briefing in an hour.

In light of last week’s helicopter collision in Phoenix, I hope the news choppers are being cautious.

Judging by one aerial view on ‘CCO, it looked like some cars slid under a portion of the bridge but were kind of hard to see (I had to rewind a couple of times).

Twitter update:

Alexis trying to get ahold of her cousin
Brian Moen finding out about it
Erica trying to blog about it
Rex asking for eyewitnesses and photos
Chuck uploading to YouTube

PiPress reports

Amber: my parents told me they feared it was a terrorist attack.

I know… I know… but maybe that’s what Aaron meant by “throwing theories.”

Yepnope is okay, got a text from her.

What’s there to throw around, Aaron? The bridge collapsed. There was road construction on it, along with the usual heavy traffic.

I’m talking about people coming up with really loose conclusions as to why it happened.

I was safely ensconced at home, but I’m praying for everyone that was on that bridge. I can’t imagine how horrifying that was.

LiveJournal user belmikey missed it by 15 minutes

FBI is on the scene.

Good.

Oh, good to hear about Yepnope.

I think I’m going to barf. Luckily everyone I know who would use that bridge is home and safe. Thoughts and prayers to those who were there, and their friends and families.

Political blogger Noah Kunin lives under that bridge.

He is fine and he just posted.

I seriously think I might pass out. One of my biggest fears in life has been one of crossing bridges over water, particularly the Mississippi and after 26 years I’d pretty much rationalized it never happening. My family is safe. I’m just waiting to hear from one friend. I am at work alone because my mom is at a meeting and I just want to go home and cry in my own house with my own family.

Anyway, I hope everyone’s friends and family are safe.

One confirmed fatality so far….

Aw, gotcha, Aaron and Ranty…

I’m with you there, Josie.

And now they’re reporting a storm is moments away. Hopefully the interference is minimal.

WCCO update.

If anyone hears of anything us regular folks can do to help, keep us posted.

Yes please. I can see the helicopters from my house but feel totally helpless.If there’s anything an average joe can do, pass it along.

KSTP says there was no structural issues with the brudge.

Knitthink okay.
Two dolla okay
Just got a chat from Christina. She’s okay and can see it from the roof of onw of her buildings
Party of Pawlenty okay
Blabked out’s report.

USI is providing free wireless in the area for those of you near by.

Live eyewitness account on WCCO said she saw multiple fatalities.

Witness on ‘CCO tv said she saw several fatalities.

First pictures on flickr

jinx max buy me a coke

Kool Aid report okay
Kay Redding okay
EckerNet okay
Anti-Strib okay
Residual Forces okay

Kwatt, I heard another account from an industry engineer about the bridge NOT being okay….

Show up an a MnSpeak get together and I’ll buy you a Coke, Kevin.

Metroblogging is blogging about it.
MnCampiagn Report okay

I used to live on 10th Avenue kitty corner from Amoco, and we always called the bridge the 10th AVE bridge… why do they keep calling it the 10th ST bridge? KSTP and WCCO alike.

What a terrible thing to happen. Those poor people.

4 will have an engineer on live soon says Shelby. Just saw a big lightning strike in that area.

Strib is looking for eyewitnesses

Everybody in my family lives within 12 blocks of the bridge. I expect they are okay, but have not heard from them yet.

Helicopters seem gone, p-douglas said the lightning is why.

Powerline okay
Captain’s Quarters okay
Sassy okay

Robin Marty is fine…

To help: A call for blood.

Hope so max.

My house is straight south of the bridge almost and facing north, there is some big cloud to ground lightning out the window.

Call the Red Cross to give blood – 1 800 GIVE LIFE. They don’t have anything set up tonight as of yet, but they’re probably going to go through a lot of it in the rescue efforts, so you can make an appointment to go in and help them replenish. I’ll be there at the Minneapolis Center tomorrow at 4.

They need blood.

Photo from Karina Hill’s point of view.

Kevin, do you get two Cokes now?

Great idea. I’ll plan on donating blood as well.

Nuh uh. Kevin owes me one now.

I was at Pizza Luce. There were several guys who biked over after they heard all the sirens. They had some amazing photos.

Amazing as in terribly tragic yet a good exercise in citizen journalism.

Heads will roll for this. I’m guessing some civil and structural engineers and possibly reps from the contractors.

This will throw a lot of wrenches into the Minneapolis transportation system for quite some time.

And I owe Kevin one, I guess. It’s a confusing chain of Cokes.

Technically, I think the first one to call jinx gets the Coke, so max owes me one, and I iowe josie and amber one. Dammit I can’t give blood!

This is nuts. I used to work two blocks from the bridge. Wondering if people I used to work with are ok.

Takes one badly-rusted-through connection on this type of bridge, or one shifting column foundation, or vandals with 2 wrenches and a couple hours. So, until the forensic engineers get it all pulled and inspected and x-rayed, consider everything you hear to be a guess.

Stay off your phones unless absolutely necessary.

Does anyone know if they are taking donations tonight? I would be willing to go give right now if they needed me to.

I called the Memorial Blood Center and it seems as though they are closed.

I was talking to a friend on her way home from work when we were cut off and when I found out about the bridge collapsing I tried to call her back, but I can’t get through. The bridge is on her way home. I don’t have a land line so trying to call anyone is hell. No one has heard from her and we can’t get through to HCMC.

Does anyone know of any other way to find out more about who was on the bridge?

Please say your prayers…

Another option for blood donors: Memorial Blood Centers.

Twins game still going on primarily so people aren’t out travelling. Tomorrow’s game postponed.

I decided to take E. Hennepin home at 6PM rather than University/35W. Wow. Freakin’ out a little.

Steve McPherson from Reveille (and Bottle Gang and Signal Eats Noise) just chatted with me. He occasionally comments here as McP.

Tomorrow’s game postponed?

Red Cross doesn’t have anything set up tonight for blood donations. Your best bet is to make an appointment.

A tragedy like this reminds me of the importance to live each day to its fullest and to enjoy life. Don’t sweat the small stuff…

So, until the forensic engineers get it all pulled and inspected and x-rayed, consider everything you hear to be a guess.

Thanks for stressing this again.

House of Procrastination okay
Lloyletta okay
Centrisity okay

HCMC reporting one death, more than 25 injuries, all from the south side. Mostly blunt trauma injuries.

22 non-criticals at HCMC
6 critical
1 fatality

can’t stop thinking about all those families driving to the Twins game…

Anybody heard from Maz?

the red cross is setting up a website cat, but i dont’ think it’s live yet

Just by basic probability, your friend is safe, stuck somewhere in the traffic snarl, and hoping no one is getting worried about her. Best bet is, have a drink, sit down, and don’t start assumptions at the worst place.

Jinx.

It’s not, I tried, but thanks. I don’t live far from HCMC so I tried to get info, but since I’m not family they won’t tell me anything and her family lives outstate.
It’s chaotic at best and trying to get any information is so frustrating.

Fiveoclockbot okay
Coldhearted Truth okay
Freedom Dogs okay
MnBlue okay

we’re even max.

Intersting that they said south side, I heard a reporter on 4 or 5 say they were on the north side and that everyone there was able to get to safety.

sorry to hear that, Cat. Hope she’s OK.

6:05?

I walked in my door after a run, looked at the clock on my stove and said to myself, “6:05 I’m still alive and it ain’t no jive” mimicking an old high school teacher of mine.

My sister in law was on her way to the airport from Forest Lake around 6PM.

No one has heard from her, no cell service.

Mom in law called us freaking out crying.

This sucks. I was gonna go to Viva Voce tonight but no way do any more people need to be crowding around downtown tonight. There’s a Twins game and a thunderstorm on the way, too.

Everyone please, stay away from the area tonight. Traffic will be jacked. Don’t contribute to it. Sorry, Viva Voce.

I wouldn’t freak out except that I’m the back up for her day care and they called me because she hadn’t shown up to pick her child up. That’s when the panic set in.

all ok here… i left my job at the U at 4:45 thankfully…

having a hard time wrapping my head around these images/videos… doesn’t even look like our city

Honey Bunny okay
Boot On okay
Power Liberal okay

I was on St. Anthony Main with coworkers when it happened. I had to walk across the Stone Arch Bridge to get home and it was flooded with onlookers. Sirens going off constantly. I thought I saw Wayne down there!! Wayne were you there?

Don’t go down there! Friends from all over the country calling me… took me an hour to get home.

hope all is well, everyone.

M. Thomson is fine
Taulpaul is fine…

red cr4oss website

Mrs. Champs is also OK, but was fashionably late (about five minutes) to the party.

Cat – they are interviewing a mother on KSTP right now

It sounds as though the emergency response to this was exemplary. HCMC actually runs drills a few times per year to prepare for disasters.

Melissa Hughes is her name.

Me, too, Cat. Please keep us posted, okay?

Cat – prayers with you. I hope your friend is okay.

I was driving across the Franklin Ave bridge to SP a week ago tonight and was on the bridge stuck @ a red light…as the cars backed up behind me I started to get nervous wondering what would happen if the weight of the idling cars became too much for the bridge. Freaky.

Bridge Wiki.

Although it’s been on the TV for awhile… if you have a legitimate concern:

HCMC Patient Information: (612) 873-3400

KSTP says stay away from teh 10th avenue bridge.

Bob checking in. Me and Mrs. Lungs are fine, although both shocked and heartbroken. As a former Level I Trauma Center employee, I have a pretty good idea what is happening at HCMC and North Memorial right now. Sounds like all the “Orange Alert” drills are paying off. Our prayers and thoughts are with those who are injuried, lost or missing.

You too, Jason, and all the other newsies who will work long into the night this evening to try to keep us informed.

MyProntoPup okay
The Impudent Finger okay

Such a tragedy. I feel like MNspeak is one big family tonight.

that interview with the doctor was ridiculous. I know they need to ask questions and try to get answers but, “What is a life-threatening injury?” Seriously? Why would you ask that?

GTP in a few…

this makes me so sad and a bit sick to my stomach. i hope that none of the (albeit few) people i’ve met here in the cities were on the bridge. and i sincerely hope that none of those people (and all of you here) have loved ones that are hurt…or worse.

Snarkmarket okay
Jvstin okay
Buddhapatriot okay
Tale of Two Cities okay
A Place Called Blog okay

Jason is interviewing one of the rescuers of the children on the bus. Astounding tale.

This link is the calendar of blood drives that The Memorial Blood Center has scheduled. They do take walk ups at these – no need for an appointment.

http://www.memorialbloodcenters.org/MBC/uploads/drivecal_mpls.html

Ditto Jason. How you people keep your heads in the face of something so awesome in scale and humanity I’ll never know.

BX: Cell service is jammed. be patient. Odds are, everything is fine. I will pray jsut in case.

Shelby, I know you don’t read this, but your interview with the bridge guy? EXCELLENT. Thank you. You sir are a consummate journalist.

Jason, you’re amazing. Your reports are excellent as well.

Thanks again.

I’m in a Louisville hotel on my way back to Minnesota watching all of this. It is so surreal seeing our hometown like this. WCCO.com looks like they have a link up for people to give names of those they haven’t heard from; that may help. I live in Charleston, SC for school, and after seeing the firefighters’ tragedy earlier this summer, I know Minnesotans will rally together to help any way we can.

Did I just hear that the Hennepin and 3rd Ave bridges are closed right now?

Planes are starting to fly over again so they must have re-opened the airspace in the area, which may indicated that helicopther traffic has lessened from the scene.

This is cripplingly frightening. I hope everyone is OK.

First rate work from Jason.

Heard from all family members but one. So far everyone is okay.

Elko’s good

good max

Metafilter is discussing.

jesus look at the water rescue video on 4

oh my god

There Are No Losers Here okay
Truth v the Machine okay
Spitball okay
Katie’s Beer okay

That’s a job I wouldn’t want. Wow.

jesus look at the water rescue video on 4

oh my god

Link? I am not finding a water rescue video on CCO.

Crazy But Able okay.
SCSU Scholars okay

Police have ruled out terrorism.

People need to stop assuming that an unreachable friend is anything other than “phone service and traffic sucks bad right now.”

Because phone service and traffic suck right now. If you’re wondering where someone is, and they’re late, figure they’re stuck in the locked-up traffic hoping no one’s worried about them, and wishing someone knew to go let their pet out or pick up their kid at daycare.

I went through this a few years ago when some stuff happened while me and a bunch of friends were in a different city for a bit, and some stuff fell down, and no one could find each other for over a day, and with each passing hour people were becoming convinced Otherguy was dead, and . . .

I think there was as much emotional damage due to overwrought pessimism as anything else.

I am a scuba diver and have thought about joining a rescue team, however, I just don’t know if I could do it either…

Metrodome Holiday Inn is where families of victims should go for info. They are triaging the info from there. From Ch. 4

Just found this PDF from oim.dot about I35W, also known as Bridge 9340:

Bridge 9340 was deleted from the project and bridges 27887 and 27888 will no longer be repaired but will be painted instead. These bridges will be repaired in SFY 2007, which still has $5.4M available in the Bridge Improvement Program for additional bridge work.

Not able to parse it, but for people looking for documentation about the bridge, it’s what I found.

Sounds like there might be as many as six dead.

Glad to read the all clear updates on locals.

Before images are lacking around the net, and could be helpful with a markup. Has anyone posted one?

MPR’s Website (Disclosure: MPR is my employer) is also looking for eyewitnesses and photos.

Fantail media okay
Digital Retrograde okay
Buzz.Mn on the bridge collapse

It seems to me that there will be two stories that will come to the forefront of this: First, how did it happen; second, what did we do right.

Having lived through two disasters, I think the second question is one really worth addressing. The responses here really seem to be first-rate.

Red Cross asking for donations at a time like this? Come on.

Bobbyb, you need to SHUT. THE FUCK. UP.

Everyone deals with fear differently. You being PREACHY RIGHT NOW DOES NOT HELP!!!!

/cries

All but one construction worke r accounted for. GTP says bridge was inspected in 04 and 05 with no structural damage found.

we rip on local tv news coverage a lot on this site, but it’s at times like this that we realize the immediate impact of TV coverage and that there are still many excellent journalists (ie DeRusha) working in the medium.

People smarter than I–would the road deck of this bridge have re-bar (uninterrupted) running the length of the bridge?

Amazing as it sounds, I’m not an engineer.

Julia, Strib has a photo gallery and had construction photo from 1967.

Yeah, Bobby, shut it. I knew in my gut that neither of my parents were near it, but I’ve never been so happy to hear their voices.

KARE11 reports that federal officials are on the way.

Judging by this picture, joyride, it would seem no.

I think bobby is just trying to remind people that the odds are overwhelmingy in favor of everyone’s loved one being okay. No need to get snippy.

Question I can’t find an answer to – why was the bridge designed the way it was, with the single span across the entire river?

I am not a civil engineer. However, I’d bet dollars to donuts that the deck of the bridge was rebar-reinforced concrete throughout it’s length. However, I’d doubt that you’d have continuous pieces of rebar from one end to the other. It just wouldn’t be practical to have long pieces like that. You’d have several pieces of rebar spanning the bridge, joined to each other at their ends.

Yup there’s tons o’ rebar in there.

Please, people, show some simple love and keep the armchair psychology to yourselves. PLEASE.

“Overwrought pessimissm.” Pffffffsht. Dumb asshole.

Julia, there’s at least one very good before shot on flickr, you could contact the owner about using it.

That Strib photo gallery is something else.

Just received an automated call from work asking us to press 1 if we are still alive.

How very sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved.

Collecting flickr photos:

Adam Wolf
Steve Schmeiser

Link for Strib gallery

Thanks for the info and the image leads. (special thanks PwrGeek, mcgsa, s4xton, jtd) I’m watching this space for all clear updates on locals…

joyride, lots of rebar, but the longest you can buy is 60′, so not uninterrupted. It’s “tied” together by wrapping overlapping ends with fairly strong wire, but that’s just to hold it in place as you pour the concrete around it.

a terrible tragedy, but there were a lot of miracles in minneapolis today

Did anyone else find tghemselves unable to eat supper tonight?

Fantastic links, mcgsa.

KARE 11 reports that only 28 people have been taken to local hospitals. I hope that this means that traffic is just very slow.

I was biking home, and heard lots of sirens. I wondered what it was about. Saw a couple of police cars headed towards downtown on West River Road. Wondered what was going on. Got home and found out. Been on the phone with family and friends ever since. Glad everyone is okay!!!

Don Shelby seems to have become an expert on truss bridge superstructures in a matter of hours.

More flickr sets:

Mordac
BreeR

Holy shit! Collapse on wikipedia already!!!

Midtopia okay
Diablo Cody okay (Johnny had driven across the bridge an hour earlier)
Dry White Toast okay (photos)

Photos from Sean Tubridy
Daily Kos on bridge collapse

MnDaily on reports from University area hospitals

Jason DeRusha, I am impressed. Our nation’s infrastructure sucks. This is terrible.

A few more from flickr:

Tubes.’s set
Construction in action from a few days ago by Thomas Boblett
A before shot from .jasper

So true, Bandini. It’s easy to forget how many lives were saved tonight. I spent a few frantic minutes trying to reach my daughter, who was at her boyfriend’s house a few blocks from the scene. She was fine, but it made me flash back to a year ago when she was on board a Continental flight from Houston to Mpls. and the plane blew two tires on takeoff. We watched the hour-and-a-half ordeal live on CNN as the plane circled, burning its fuel load. I still have a bit of PTSD from that episode, and I really panicked when I couldn’t get her on the phone this evening. My heart goes out to those still waiting to hear about their loved ones.

Sorry! Someone already posted bridge wiki.

I’m still in shock!

I wonder if MnDOT traffic cameras caught the collapse on video?

Shelby said it will take two years to repair. No idea what his source is. This being an interstate, it’s probably under the feds authority.

mcgsa,

I have a few pictures sent to me by a friend posted on my site, including one that includes Noah Kunin’s apartment. He lives literally feet from the bridge. They’re on FlickR here.

The Kos thread is predictably disgusting.

More photos:

Medicine Lake Fire and Rescue carry rescue craft
Photos from Mordac
Photos from Bree-r

NYTimes on collapse

This Old Minnesota House okay
Ginger Sinatra okay (via chat)

Considering we have the chair of the transportation committee from Minnesota-Duluth, it’ll probably get rebuilt sooner than that.

Diversey’s photos on Flickr. Wow.

I checked the WCCO traffic cams (MnDot System) right after it happened and all those within a mile are out. I checked again a bit ago and they still are.

There was a brief power outage, I figure this knocked them off line. The power seems to have gone out at the precise moment the bridge fell so I am not certain they would have caught anything.

Post with photos from Living in 55404

One(me) would think that the video has to be recorded somewhere, though.

Wow. Word has already spread to China. I just got an email from a coworker asking if everyone was okay.

Missed it by ten minutes.
It sounds odd, but I almost feel guilty for making it out ok.

Eyewitness account from Strib
Hospitals deal with influx of injured from Strib

FWIW Minneapolis City media advisory says:

“Families concerned about relatives should call the Red Cross at (612) 871-7676. Callers can leave a message and someone will get back to them soon.”

Party of Pawlenty has rough quotes from the Pawlenty Press conference

More bus service from North Metro
“Right now, the focus is on saving lives”
Timeline of bridge collapse
Background on the bridge

WCCO report 140,000 used bridge every day.

MnHeadhunter okay

“I wonder if MnDOT traffic cameras caught the collapse on video?”

They should have got it.

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/tmc/trafficinfo/metrocams/cameras/c628.html

StarTribune has linked to a 2001 “Fatigue Evaluation of the Deck Truss” of the bridge sponsored by the MN DOT (but performed by U of M Dept of Civil Engineering). The abstract notes “poor fatigue details on the main truss and floor truss system.”

I was at the Twins game tonight and saw the scene from the Stone Arch Bridge.

Right now, the Washington Ave., 10th St., Hennepin Ave. bridges are all closed. 94 is open and traffic is actually moving pretty well. University Ave around dinkytown is open, but not moving very fast.

Glad all you mnspeakers are alright.

well guess what? the bridge didn’t transform into a flying Mr. Incredible. people died, many are badly hurt, the last thing the media wants to share is the actual event to your voyeuristic needs.

People wanting to donate money to the Red Cross can call at 612-460-4700 or do it through their Web page.

Axis Communications installed the servers that digitize the analog camera feeds for mndot’s traffic cameras.

Cheek okay.

Noah Kunin’s Photos. You can see shots under the bridge, shots before emergency personnel showed up and you get a good look at how how the structure bent in places. He is evacuated and I am posting on his behalf when he gives me updates.

Fatalities now at 7.

sorry people. I was replying before I hit my refresh button.

tuff night

What a sad night. August 1, 2007….worst thing I’ve ever seen happen in the 30 years of my life lived in Minnesota. Pray or hope for the victims.

Rocks Off okay
Pete Ryan okay
Kowabunga okay
Mn Democrats Exposed okay, and already complaining about how liberals have responded to tragedy

Much coverage from MPR

“the last thing the media wants to share is the actual event to your voyeuristic needs.”

Sorry to burst your bubble Kal, but do I remember seeing “the media” showing a couple planes flying into some buildings a few years ago. It doesn’t mean it diminishes the severity of the situation.

Max, I’m not you, of course, but maybe hold off til tomorrow . . .

YOU’RE CRAP GOVERNOR!!!! YOU’RE SO FUCKEN CRAP!!!! YOU ALLOWED THIS DISASTER TO HAPPENED BY NOT FUNDING OUR PUBLIC ROADS AND BLEEDING MNDOT TO DEATH IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS!!!! FUCK YOU!!!! AND FUCK YOU MAYOR RYBEK FOR DRIVING MINNEAPOLIS INTO THE GROUND BY NOT FUNDING POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN CASE OF A TOTAL EMERGENCY LIKE THE BRIDGE COLLAPSE ON INTERSTATE 35W!!!! ALSO, FUCK YOU ALL IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR ALLOWING THIS DISASTER TO HAPPENED SINCE YOUR NIMRODS IN BOTH THE DFL AND THE STATE-GOP WERE MORE CONCERN ABOUT SPORTS STADIUMS, TILT-A-WHIRLS, TEENS GETTING TATTOS, GAYS GETTING MARRIED, AND CHILDREN GETTING BIRTH CONTROL PILLS, THAN BRIDGES FALLING!!!! YOU ASSHOLES HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS FOR THIS!!!!

GO TO HELL! AND TAKE CHRIS COLEMAN WITH YOU WHILE YOUR AT IT!!!

MnDot cameras. Click on dots to see footage. No ffotage for three or four 35W cameras north of University.

Something about federal emergency relief for this sort of thing, but I’m not sure that it applies.

Noah Kunin’s photos are amazing and tragic.

Gov. Polenta’s policies come home to roost.

This is on HIM.

I’m sorry, Bobby, but if local blogs are going to politicize this tragedy at this moment, I’m going to report it. That goes for Liberal blogs as well.

This bridge tragedy reminds me of the concerns surrounding the collapse of I-580 in the Bay Area earlier this year and predictions that it would years to replace. The contracter brought in to rebuild it completed the project in 26 days!

A-MAZE-ING
His reputation on the line, contractor finishes repair early, and I-580 opens

Of course, the cause of I-580 was fairly certain (fuel truck crashes and explodes) and there will be much time needed to determine the cause of today’s 35W bridge collapse but it might be possible for that road to reopen sooner than some might otherwise believe.

I’m proud of the way people in the area responded to the emergency. People were being pulled out of the water minutes before the First Responders arrived. Wow!

it’s the headlining article on HuffPost, if anyone is an avid reader

The reason I’m reporting it is because I think it’s disgusting. Let’s hold off, Raindog, until we know the facts.

Wow, even the headline news on Al Jazeera

Agreed with iwilldare.com on being thankful for twitter. I was quite glad and relieved to see updates from fellow MN twitterers!

I suspect the Mn Democrats Exposed will be an aberration, however,

Metroblogging open thread.

Befuddled okay
Velcrometer okay

Just days ago, the feds awarded grants for bridge construction innovation.

KSTP says five bodies are pulled from the north end and two others are not yet recovered – and htat it is considered a recovery operation.

FWIW, being a political person, when I first heard about this on FOX News one of my first thoughts was to wonder if anyone would have the balls to tie this to gas taxes, transportation funding, war funding, etc. Turns out the answer is yes. Judge that as you will.

Rod Simon on KSTP did a stellar job tonight going from the Target Center over to the scene for some true impromptu reporting.

sorry for the broken link; Al Jazeera

I was shocked when I heard about this on the Current while painting my garage tonight. It’s sad to see folks already politicizing it. Wait until the facts are in; this isn’t s time for speculation.

From startribune.com article:

“Someone yelled that we should get out,” said her granddaughter Logan Winegar, 18. A passerby on a bicycle helped them climb out. Fortunately, all had been wearing seatbelts.

One of Kunin’s photos: the passerby in the background?

Pubhouse Dialogues okay
Les Enfent Terrible okay

FBI investigates

Metro Transit plans added bus service from north metro to help ease congestion.

You as well, Big G. Until we know specifically what happened, it’s beyond the pale to throw around accusations.

Just a Cool Cat okay

The Deets okay
Ladies Logic okay

Statement from Coleman and Klobuchar

Other US bridge collapses of note:
Falls View Bridge…Niagra, NY, 1938…no injuries/fatalities
Tacoma Narrows…Tacoma, WA, 1940…no injuries / fatalities
Silver Bridge…Point Pleasant, WV, 1967…46 fatalities, 9 seriously injured
Schoharie Creek Bridge…Mohawk Valley, NY, 1987…10 fatalites

Bay Bridge (earthquake)..SF, CA, 1989…1 Fatality, numerous injuries
I40 Bridge…Webbers Falls, OK, 2002…3 fatalities
Walnut Street Bridge….Harrisburg, PA, 1996…no injuries/fatalities

Seems none of these, with the exception of the bay bridge, carried the volume of cars or had the length of span that the I35W bridge did, and many of them gave advance warning. What a terrible, terrible tragedy.

grote, those are some crazy bridge collapses, but don’t forget about the ones that collapsed and were washed away last year this week in central new york. i grew up there and seeing the photos even a year later make me tear up. roads and bridges i used to travel when i was a kid no longer exist.

the Silver Bridge collapse has many eerie similarities to what we currently know about the I35W Minneapolis collapse…but was considerably more deadly.

I’m amazed at how an event like this crystallizes your focus. Yes, Olbermann is on in the background, but I find myself refreshing mnspeak and gmail first off, then checking the cell, and jumping from twitter, cnn, kare/localtvwhatev, strib, metroblogging, to feel connected.
Max, here’s to you.

Which one was the one from the mothman movie?

(chills)

The Good Fight okay.

There’s some blood on Governor Pawlenty’s and legislators’ hands who haven’t provided necessary funding for fixing bridges and roads, or Veterans Homes . . .

Sigh. Again, let’s wait and see, dogsbreath. Not only is speculating right now just in poor taste, it is also bad politics.

Who points fingers at a time like this???

MPR reports on traffic information and cancellations

I work at MSP airport, and I got a call from my boyfriend around 6:50. He was going to a party in Dinkytown and was safe there with some of our friends. It was on CNN (only station ever on at the airport!) almost right away. It was surreal to watch entire flights gather around the TV by the gates. Everyone I know seems to be okay.

The LRT was very busy tonight heading into downtown.

Who points fingers at a time like this???

assholes FTW.

TC Sidewalks okay. Also, a rather nice post on the bridge collapse.

Peace Like a River okay

Minneapolitics okay, and blaming conservatives. Seriously, have people no tact?

Ellison on the bridge collapse (YouTube clip)

Some of those Noah Kunin photos might be helppful to the investigators, particularly the one showing the twisting in the remaining protions of the bridge.

I’ll also point fingers right at Governor Pawlenty. Investing in our infrastructure that we all rely upon (taxes) is how Minnesotans have come together in the past to build great things. He’s put himself before the common good. And we’re crumbling.

I’ll also point fingers…

Yes. Well, as courageous as that is, allow me to offer an alternate location for those digits.

(biting his tongue)

how about NOT politicizing this tragedy and pointing fingers, maybe even for one night?

It’s so disrespectful and frankly, it’s moronic.

Go Big G. You rule. DESPITE THE ALL CAPS. YOU HAVE HIT. THE NAIL. ON THE HEAD.

GO BROTHER!

Home OK, and all of my inner circle folks who use that bridge regularly are accounted for. Thanks for the emails and the concern. I really hope everyone’s loved ones are OK. I am terrified to check my email tomorrow.

I love this goddamn city. Now I sort of understand how much.

But Cruz’s problems weren’t over. He couldn’t get out because he can’t move from his waist down. He was paralyzed by a shooting years ago. He heard a woman screaming for help and he figured she was hanging from the bridge. “She was yelling, ‘Help me, help me.’ I couldn’t do anything.” Then he didn’t hear her anymore.

It must help you to have someone to blame. We all deal with tragedies in our own way.

feel free to link them…it’s interesting / instructive to see how / why they collapsed.

Yeah, this is among the most significant bridge collapses in history. Though it had to be Minnesotan, didn’t it? Not the biggest, not the most fatal, etc. Still, I’m wondering how it rates compared to other historic Minneapolis/MN disasters. I was thinking that it’ll go down in history next to the flour mill explosions in the early 20th century and the massive forest fire or two of the 19th. But I’m probably being overdramatic.

I dunno, I’ve walked under that bridge several times along the river road on the west bank, and I did get the sensation that it was a bit iffy structurally speaking. Sure, there was a lot of metal and it was formed into a decent, if ugly, arch, but it was perched on what seemed like fairly small pylons. Well, it was just a passing sense back then, and I’m no engineer.

But, you can bet that the next bridge will be over-engineered about 4x, and funded by that oft-delayed gas tax increase…

Yo Small P! Are… You. Flipping; Serious?

I love this goddamn city. Now I sort of understand how much.

You and me both.

Cat, any word from your friend?

Everyone back home is in my thoughts and prayers tonight.

“how about NOT politicizing this tragedy and pointing fingers, maybe even for one night?“

It’s Max’s blog, I guess. He told ‘em it was okay.

My friend was about 4 minutes ahead of this disaster, and I can say politicizing this less than 12 hours after it happened is SHITTY. Be glad that you still have your loved ones still around you and aren’t one of the families dealing with the unspeakable heartbreak of losing a parent, sister, brother, mother, etc, right now.

grote, i wrote a big blog entry on it last year, but the photos that i had linked to are all broken now. i wish i could get the photo of the 18-wheeler completely swallowed by a 200 foot section of I-88 by the Susquehanna river near where i grew up.

oh wait: here’s a good one. it almost doesn’t seem real, but i’ve traveled that part of the interstate many, many times and that’s REAL. here’s another view. i’m not sure if it’s been repaired or if people are still using alternate routes, but that’s some crazy damage right there. and that was just the beginning of a massive disaster in central NY that happened last year.

Randy Kaye is on CNN talking about how she has a borther in law no one has heard of and providing her local insight to the national audience. It seems now, at about midnight, that news coverage has gone from breaking news reporting to recaps, interviewing witnesses and drivers, etc. That is usually when I tune out in instances like this.

Great job by the local media.

Josie- our mutual friend is good? I figured that wasn’t her route or time, even if it is the general location.

This is just, awful.

Give blood. Blood donations are now being accepted. Please call the Memorial Blood Centers of Minnesota in advance to schedule a time for your blood donation at their four metro area centers. The Blood Center’s central scheduling number is 612-871-3300 ext. 4421 or visit http://www.redcross.org/donate/give

American Red Cross Blood Services, to donate blood -call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (448-3543) or visit http://www.givebloodgivelife.org.

Some video just showed up on MNstories.

9 confirmed dead and 20 missing per the Strib. It’s going to be a very ugly sunrise tomorrow.

It’s Max’s blog, I guess. He told ‘em it was okay.

No I didn’t, Bobby. I said exactly the opposite.

“The bridge started to buckle,” Toivenen said. “It went up and came down. I thought I was going to die.”

Oh. My. God. I can’t even fucking imagine the absolute fear…

Ravnscroft okay
Doodledee okay
Beaccablog okay
There Are Some Who Call Me … Tim okay
Rambling Rhodes okay
Because I said so okay
Psychmeistr okay
Hammerswing okay
Martin Andrade okay
Mercury Rising okay
Blog of the Moderate Left okay
MnPublius okay
Centricity okay

CNN is reporting that their experts believe the collapse was caused by water erosion and that there is speculation that this info is in the recent inspection reports.

I forget which station I was watching/listening to early in the evening, as I was flipping between several, but they were interviewing a doctor who declared that several of the fatalities his hospital received were victims of drowning. My instinct was to be slightly dubious with all of the wild speculation and confusion flying around at that hour. Either way, as if the collapse wouldn’t be a random and tragic enough way to go, the thought of people surviving the fall only to die trapped underwater is almost too much to bear.

People wanting to donate money to the Red Cross can call at 612-460-4700 or do it through their Web page

I’m sure this is especially critical now, since the TC Red Cross announced it was already strapped for cash a few weeks ago following several major apartment fires.

Inspections, reports raise questions about Bridge’s integrity
Blogging, internet source of news, information, etc., after bridge collapse
Legislators knew of no problems with bridge
Witnesses were angels to injured
Bridge passed last inspection

Picture from Waltzcore
Picture from ebrandt

Headed to bed.

Agreed with iwilldare.com on being thankful for twitter. I was quite glad and relieved to see updates from fellow MN twitterers!

That’s how I heard about it in the first place. That was a strange sensation, and also somewhat comforting to have that info right away.

Max, you’re doing an awesome job.

fuuuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

It’s 2:15 AM and I’d like to point out that KSTP channel 5 is committed to covering this ALL NIGHT LONG. That’s right Lionel Richie style.

Brucato didn’t sign off until 2AM…..live. Vineeta and whats-his-buckets just took over. This is nuts. Maybe overkill, but HATS THE HELL OFF to Channel 5. Dayum.

I just got back from the scene and read this thread. Amazing. Fascinating. You guys are awesome. Thanks for the kind words about our coverage. I imagine everyone in town did a great job. I ran into a few of my competitors. Although there’s not much competing on a night like this. The photographer I was working with was sharing his bottled water with others– to make sure they were in good shape. It was really hot out there.

It was not fun, but it’s what we’re here for. I’m going home now.

People did survive the fall … mostly on the south side, though. Some of the earliest live coverage I saw when stations cut in a couple of minutes after 6:05 showed people walking around on some of the bridge sections that had fallen into the water. No uniforms or other indication of First Responders at that time. If you were belted into your car, your chances of surviving were better than the workers on the deck getting ready to start their night of roadway repairs. I can’t imagine the horror, however, that must’ve gone those peoples’ minds once they realized what was happening.

Once the cause of the tragedy is determined, it might only take a couple of months to build a new bridge. The company that rebuilt I-580 in the Bay Area had that bridge repaired and opened in 26 days.

Hey DeRusha, man, pour a cognac, tuck yourself in with a binky and crash. Seriously. You guys rocked serious ass tonight. I saw you working hard for your money.

Keep it up, old man.

Erosion? I’d believe it. Not that it’d necessarily be the exclusive cause of this, but it’d help explain this image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mntiens/979108079/

But when you’ve got hundreds of tons falling around, stuff is probably going to shift…

Overall, I thought the coverage I saw was fairly good. I was a little put off by Passolt on KMSP, since he seemed to be doing his best William Shatner exclaiming there had been equipment hanging over the side during recent construction.

The Mark LaCroix guy who was doing i-Report for CNN and ended up talking to BBC World Service overnight also did a fine job, IMHO. Anyway, overall, way to stick to facts, hold back the tide of speculation to a minimum, and be practical about how this is going to affect our daily lives going forward.

Once the cause of the tragedy is determined, it might only take a couple of months to build a new bridge. The company that rebuilt I-580 in the Bay Area had that bridge repaired and opened in 26 days.

not quite. that was just a section of an overpass ramp, and it was all on land, no less. a river crossing, especially one that has to pass over so many other things (railroad tracks, streets, bike trails, etc) takes a lot more engineering design work. Especially since they’ll probably have to pour new footings in the river too. The design alone will probably take a good 4-6 months and the construction might be over a year. The I-580 ramp was basically just a redesign of a pretty standard highway section.

I’m nowhere near as optimistic as you are about having a bridge back up there soon.

We’ve put up a wiki page to share links here:

http://pages.e-democracy.org/35W

Steven Clift
E-Democracy.Org

Yepnope – she is fine, she was the first person I called last night. Sorry I didn’t see this until this morning.

Jason and other news folks – you all kicked ass last night, calm and professional and thorough coverage. You deserve a fancy latte this morning, at the least.

CNN has video of the collapse from a security cam

How can you blame the governor or the legislators? They’re not out there inspecting the bridge? They’re the ones that need to know if the bridge needs to be replaced. If they don’t know about it, nothing will ever be done. Maybe the state shouldn’t be throwing all the money to light rail and commuter rails.

PiPress: Recovery operations begin
PiPress: Finding family
PiPress: Prayer services scheduled
WCCO: Public statements in response to collapse
City Pages: Voices from witnesses, survivors
KARE11: Family members watch, wait
KARE11: Survivors share stories

WCCO: Transit alternatives
WCCO: Other major bridge and highway collapses
MPR: Emergency plans pay off
PiPress: Inspections, reports raise questions about bridge safety

It had to be terrifying for everyone involved, but I can’t imagine the horror of having a child in the vehicle with you. Thank God that this family appears to be OK.

PDF of I-35 detours

Jason’s tale about his day on DeBlog

Where to register yourself as safe with the Red Cross

All our WCCO coverage is at this section: wcco.com/bridgecollapse

We’ll keep updating that one place with everything new.

Lest we forget, thank YOU, max, for staying at your post long into the night, and continuing to post links this morning.

This wasn’t just the night for local television to do its job, the online community stepped up, too. Some wondered on the MPR thread if “citzen journalism” had value. This thread — and others linked to it — may ansswer some of those questions.

As many of you know, I avoid mpls at all costs. But yesterday I had to attend a 6:00 reception for some rich foreign clients that was held at a home on Lake Calhoun. This meant that I had to drive over on crosstown, then north up 35W and exit at 46 st, a few miles south of the tragedy. So between 6 and 8, I was sipping tonic water and rubbing elbows with some wealthy Italian and Polish folks, totally oblivious to what had happened.

My cell phone had been ringing in my pocket all evening, but being polite, I never answered it while I was engaged in conversation with these people. Finally, I managed to peak at my phone and saw that I had 7 unanswered calls … all from my wife. I went out on the front porch and called her back and she gave me the news. She had been frantically trying to reach me to see if I was ok. She knew that I was going to Mpls, but had no idea if I would be near that bridge.

When I hung up the phone, I noticed there were two other people talking on their phones, just getting the word. One person had 8 unanswered calls, the other 15 … all from family trying to reach them to see if they were ok. I can see why the cell phone system was overloaded.

Anyway, as I went back inside the host of the reception saw me and asked if everything was alright. I said “Did you hear about the bridge collapse?” and he said “You mean on 35W? Yeah, why?” I said “And now I guess a storm’s coming and it’ll make rescue even more difficult.” He said, “Aw, it’ll probably miss them.”

No one at the recption, other than the three of us who bothered to return our cell phone calls knew about the bridge collapse … except the host of the reception. He apparently didn’t want to ruin his party with unpleasantries. Finally the nanny came into the sunroom where many of us were and said “I have the TV on in the other room if you’re interested.” Three of us bothered to go look at the TV coverage.

I thanked the hostess for her hospitality and left. As I approached the Lake street bridge, the traffic slowed considerably as people seemed a bit reluctant to drive over it.

Jason, Max, and even mcgsa all did a fabulous job keeping us informed about the events of last evening. There are no words to thank you all enough! MNSpeak was at its finest last night.

Photos from MnKiteman

Thanks, Max! Have a great big coffee this morning!!!

To other MNSpeakers, I’m so glad you are all OK!

We’ve added a collection of some of the better YouTube videos on the collapse (please add more):

http://pages.e-democracy.org/35W_video

Steven Clift

“MPR: Emergency plans pay off”

I’ll post the same thing I did over at fimoculous: our response was great. Rescue divers were in the water immediately after this happened. Tons of emergency services from all over, all working together under our unified communications system. There were places set up for people to grieve — with priests and such — very quickly after people started coming in to HCMC.

Our preparation certainly did pay off — this is awful, but it very well could have been a lot worse had our responders not been trained as well.

Thanks, everybody; and particular thanks to those of you who updated this thread with vital information as it happened.

I’m not going to post any more listings of bloggers who are okay, although if something notable comes up in a blog, I will certainly link to that.

Yes, thanks Max and Jason and to everyone else who put in the long hours to provide such amazing information, photos and more. There’s not much more that can be said that hasn’t been said already. Glad that you all are okay.

Photos from timophoto
Photos from Latinastpaul
Photos from ebrandt

Front Pages nationwide. The bridge collapses dominates.

It’s nice to know we are spending a trillion dollars in our tax money to help Iraqi’s. Why would we want to invest it right here at home?

does anyone know how deep the river runs where the bridge collapsed?

does anyone know how deep the river runs where the bridge collapsed?

I think the channel’s usually 13 feet. The Strib had a reference to cars in 7 feet of water, but I don’t know if they mean 7 feet above the top of the car, or just 7 feet total.

The CNN video on YouTube

Photos from a company party on the Mississippi at the time of the collapse

Obsestar to seek $250 million in emergency funding to replace the bridge

I’m going to donate blood right now. Wee!

WCCO (from AP): Old check found problems with bridge, White House (!) reports.

White House press secretary Tony Snow said the Interstate 35W span rated 50 on a scale of 120 for structural stability.

“This doesn’t mean there was a risk of failure, but if an inspection report identifies deficiencies, the state is responsible for taking corrective actions,” he said. The bridge was 40 years old.

The Strib posted a fascinating story about how the bridge’s Wikipedia entry went from a stub to a comprehensive, constantly updated source of information overnight.

Is it possible to conceive of a STUPIDER headline than that in today’s Strib?

WHO writes these?

How about “35W bridge collapses, 9 dead, 20 missing’.

I mean, what in hell is THAT they have on the page? If it’s somebody’s quote, where is the attribution?

I swear, that paper has 9 year old intellects in the news room.

Ridiculous.

Brass Tack Design on the best coverage of the event, in terms of Best Front Design.

The President, in his press conference, decide not to wait until at least noon today to make this whole thing political. He took the bridge collapse as a chance to criticize the Democrats for sending him a spending bill. Was he implying that if he had his spending bills the bridge wouldn’t have collapsed?

Peculiar response from the Leader of the Free World.

Thanks for checking in, maz. It sounds like the MNspeak extended family is pretty much accounted for. I need to drive to Watkins today for an E85 promotion, but my heart’s not in it. I’ll take the long way around downtown to reach Highway 55.

does anyone know how deep the river runs where the bridge collapsed?

I heard 4 to 13 feet. I’d imagine the deepest area is where the barges pass – on the downtown side of the river.

Is it possible to conceive of a STUPIDER headline than that in today’s Strib?

How about “35W bridge collapses, 9 dead, 20 missing’.

I thought the same thing. I was walking the dog this morning, saw a newsbox, and thought that the paper had either been taken over by children or the hardest-core johnny cash fans who ever lived.

Pardon me: I meant for NOT sending him the spending bills.

Poor citizen journalism

According to a weirdly prescient Onion article from 2005, we’re just too polite to ask for infrastructure funding.

Oh, we wouldn’t want to bother the U.S. governmentthey’ve got more than enough on their plate as it is,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said. “Most of the potholes on I-90 are less than four feet wide. We get by just fine. I wouldn’t want anyone all the way over there in Washington to be worrying about little ol’ us.”

Statement to Congress from Ellison

The old WCCO-TV website is back online and has tons of news about the bridge collapse. The company that used to run the site turned it all back on to be a site to cover this story. It’s channel4000.com

The White House has broken its silence on the 35W bridge, but I don’t think our Governor will appreciate their statement:

White House press secretary Tony Snow said the Interstate 35W span rated 50 on a scale of 120 for structural stability.

“This doesn’t mean there was a risk of failure, but if an inspection report identifies deficiencies, the state is responsible for taking corrective actions,” he said. The bridge was 40 years old.

Well, at least he didn’t say Pawlenty was doing a “heck of a job.”

CNN just interviewed three people who are awaiting word about their loved ones: a girl whose mother is missing, a girl whose brother is missing, and a man whose wife is missing. The girls were choking back tears, and the man was just ashen. I had to switch channels, I just couldn’t watch, although I know I should have. Those poor, poor people.

from mpr,

“
They [construction workers] said they basically rode the bridge down to the water. They were sliding into cars and cars were sliding into them,” he said.
“

that would be a little scary.

oh my god everything about that onion article is so true

“This is stupid,” said Tom Suttcliffe, a recent transplant to Minneapolis. “We need more snow plowseverybody knows it. I’m sorry, but I don’t think having people agree to shovel the street in front of their houses is the answer. Shit, if everyone else is too embarrassed to ask for the money, I’ll do it. Who do I call?”

Official death toll lowered to 4, WCCO reports.

Michelle Malkin has been covering this quite extensively
Lambert takes an early look at the good and the bad of the coverage of this event

City Pages agrees with you, Rat.

President Bush didn’t bother waiting until all the bodies had been recovered from the Mississippi river to politicize the disastrous collapse of the I-35 bridge.

After briefly mentioning that Minneapolis was in his prayers and mispronouncing Governor Tim Pawlenty’s name, Bush quickly segued into what appeared to be a previously planned speech haranguing Congressional Democrats for not sending him spending bills to sign.

The text of his speech.

When I made the theory that everything in life can be referenced to an Onion article, it wasn’t suppose to apply to tragedy! Hm.

Presumably the official death toll counts only confirmed dead? Forbes just ran a piece on how there are still 20-30 people missing.

Hopefully the number of missing will get revised down too, as people show up as not missing at all. But the piece does suggest that there are cars trapped under the bridge where no one can currently get to them.

I don’t know why Bud Jr has such a bug up his …
“Bridge Collapses” is what I would expect a 9-year-old to come up with for a headline. It’s direct and accurate, but sure doesn’t tell you anything you can’t see from the picture.
The Strib headline tries to convey the thoughts of people actually on the bridge. Maybe it succeeds, maybe it doesn’t, but I’d give it some points for trying to be creative.
There’s a certain subset of people in this town who look for an excuse to bash the Strib on any occasion. This is one more case.

Correct, the “official” death toll does not include the number of missing. Divers are eventually going to look for license plates underwater. I’m looking for people who were pulled out of the water alive… if anyone knows anyone. E-mail me!

I would like to pay my respects to Mnspeaker Aaron “s4xton” for going to assist when the thing fell. Also Noah Kunin and others who live in the area. Well done, lads.

Karly and I had picked up her brother from the airport and were giving him a chance to stretch his legs during a layover on his way from Amsterdam to Missoula when we heard about the bridge collapse. I am fortunate to have not been on the bridge, and to not have any family or friends (that I know of) injured, missing, or deceased. My thoughts go out to the individuals and families that were not as fortunate.
Whether you live in Minneapolis or not, show your support and compassion by contacting the Red Cross and donating blood.

What was the Strib headline? I saw nothing odd about their choice on the web site.

Oh and information regarding alternate routes to downtown Minneapolis has been gathered by About.com’s Minneapolis stringer, N.S. Gill. She’s posted a list of closed streets, some suggested alternate routes, and that Highway 280 is designated a freeway for the duration.

All of that is here.

I hate Nick Coleman

The Strib’s hard-copy headline was “Buckling and swaying, then ‘Down, down, down’

The Pioneer Press’s was “I heard it crack” with “crack” in gigantic letters, taking up an entire line all to itself

Due to user error, the link didn’t post.

Tale of Two Cities takes issue with Bush’s speech

Perhaps the bill passed last fall, giving almost 1/2 of MNDOT funding to lightrail needs to be rethought!
Excerpt From:(pg.32)http://www.budget.state.mn.us/budget/gov_spending_overview.pdf
“The bonding bill passed in 2006 included a number of transportation projects, including:
” $71 million for Local Bridges and Local Roads
” $60 million to complete state funding for Northstar Commuter rail line
” $12 million for other rail and transit projects and programs, and for land acquisition at St Cloud airport
” Funding for planning or design of a number of transitways: I-35 Bus Rapid Transit, Cedar Avenue Busway, Central Corridor, Red Rock Corridor, Robert Street Corridor, and Union Depot.”

Not like it matters much, but both towns’ newspaper headlines were embarrassingly bad.

Strange that KARE 11 has resumed regular programming (Days of Our Lives, for pete’s sake).

My brother’s friend is missing. He last talked to his wife as he left downtown to go home (via the bridge) at 5:55 p.m. This whole thing is unfathomable to me.

Thanks to Max for the excellent coverage and to everyone else who provided links.

Ditto WCCO. Oh well, I guess there’s not a lot “breaking” at the moment.

Holding out hope for your brother’s friend, Question.

MNDot news conference scheduled for 2 p.m., we’ll be back on for that.

Thanks, Jason. Not a criticism, by the way. You’ve all done such a superb job.

Out of curiosity, I just surfed over to the Fox News website to see how they are covering this. They have a poll asking, “Would you pay more in taxes to fix America’s aging infrastructure?” Last count: 67% say no, 27% say yes.

That’s a stupid question from FOX and stupid criticism of the president.

KSTP is still live with Brucato and that other guy.

“Would you pay more in taxes to fix America’s aging infrastructure?” Last count: 67% say no, 27% say yes.

You know if you aren’t willing to fund the repairs than you’d better not have ANY feelings or opinions about tragedies like the one that happened yesterday.

Wow, I am baffled by that. Really, 67% of folks wouldn’t pay? I think we should take their cars away and make them walk!

Don’t you wish they would publish the list of people who said No???

That’s an incomplete question. I wouldn’t pay more in taxes, either. I’d rather see the Federal Government reasess its fiscal priorities using the existing tax revenues. Bridges are hardly the only things that are rotting due to neglect in this country.

Maybe some people think the existing taxes should be redistributed. I bet repairing the infrastructure gained a lot higher priority with a lot of people over the last 24 hours.

I’m relieved to see still-ever-growing list of people who are okay. I guess my question is: has anyone yet encountered anybody who is NOT okay? (And if so, is there anything a complete stranger can do to help?)

@crz

the fiancee of a friend of mine was apparently hurt. leg(s?) broken and they had to use the jaws of life to rescue her from her car. i didn’t know until this morning when my co-worker, who’s coincidentally their neighbor, told me. i knew it was only a matter of time until i heard about someone i knew being involved.

Boingboing has the story
Photos from Rich
The US Army Corps of Engineers is actually going to lower the Mississippi at the site of the bridge collapse
Heartbreaking tale from PiPress of victims, trapped in their cars, begging rescue workers to say goodbye to their families for them
71 other bridges structurally deficient

Inane headlines regarding an event of this magnitude only serve to evidence the ridiculousness of our local daily paper.

What editor approved such foolishness?

They use a quote from no one.

They use a subjective description of the motion of the bridge, when it clearly just fell down.

I mean, really, can we just have the facts, please.

Like the correct number of dead people, for instance.

That’s a stupid question from FOX and stupid criticism of the president.

Are you talkin’ to me, kwatt? Cuz I don’t remember criticizing the president. But I will if you want me to.

It IS a stupid question, though, and open to many, many nuanced answers. I can even think of a few reasons to say “no” myself (ala grote). Still, isn’t it a rather accurate snapshot, at least, of the debate over infrastructure funding that is sure to crystallize in the next few months, in Minnesota and at the national level?

“Tragedy TV” will now go 24-7 with the wait for notification of the dead’s relatives.

Bloodsuckers.

And I agree with the criticisms of Bush. Using this tragedy as a springboard for an otherwise unrelated partisan attack on Democrats was exceedingly crass on the part of our president. I haven’t even been able to stomach looking at the local political blogs this morning, who have also shown a disturbing eagerness to piggyback their own agenda on the back of this awful event.

Also, get off your damn hobby horse, bud. There are better things to be discussing at this moment that how bad you think the local media is, or how absurd you think the Fringe Festival is. Try not to make something that causes uncountable anguish in others an excuse to promote your own agenda.

“Don’t you wish they would publish the list of people who said No???“

Sure. You’d probably see my name on the list (if they’d asked me.)

Re-allocate? Yep. No problem. We’ve needed infra-structure work for decades. The actual event of yesterday was a surprise, mostly because “these things don’t happen HERE!”, but the knowledge that we face real dangers as very expensive public-works structures age shouldn’t surprise anyone.

The president has a job to do and he should be allowed to talk about two things at the same time. His job doesn’t stop on a dime because of an event like this. I read his remarks and I don’t think he made any connection whatsoever between the two subjects. Unlike countless others who have taken to making the direct connection between the bridge collapse and war, taxes, or any number of other things. If the president is crass, there isn’t a word insulting enough to describe the comments of others. There will be a time for such a debate, it is not the afternoon of August 2.

A PDF of the 2001 report on the bridge.

Like the Bush bashers?

Max, tell us all what we should do here.

You know best, apparently.

I am sick of the hand wringing local ‘journalists’ decrying the loss of their “journalism’ jobs when they can’t even put a damn headline together.

How did Jason’s report get to WCCO last night? A mohawked stranger on a bike brought it there.

Seriously, Minnesotans need to mobilize and make some kind of large-scale statement telling Bush exactly what we think of his using this tragedy for bipartisan bullshit.

I can’t fricking believe he did that. CANNOT. BELIEVE IT.

It doesn’t matter what political persuasion you are. Left or right, Bush hater or Bush lover – that’s just plain crass, horrible, and embarrassing.

I wonder what Rybak thought? If I was him I’d be on that phone to the White House, demanding an apology from President Motherfucker, like, RIGHT NOW.

I don’t think he made any connection whatsoever between the two subjects.

Did you read the same speech I did? Come ON. I know you like the guy, Kevs, but that wasn’t just accidential juxtaposition. Like, oh, yeah, horrible infrastructure tragedy, and by the by, I’ve been meaning to tell you guys I haven’t gotten a new spending bill for infrastructure from those crazy Dems!

If it was pure coincidence, that means your beloved prez’s speechwriters are a lot dumber then they should be.

Obviously I agree with you, Kevin, that until the facts are out nobody should be using this to play politics. I don’t agree with you that the president’s job is to use his bully pulpit to launch partisan attacks immediately following a tragedy. The necessary jobs of government must continue, yes, but publicly excoriating your opponents for cheap political gain is not one of the necessary jobs of government.

Bud, your point has been made and need not be made over and over again. If you keep hammering home a single issue that happens to coincide with your viewpoints, it is going to seem less like an honest point than like sheer opportunism.

“ . . . yes, but publicly excoriating your opponents for cheap political gain is not one of the necessary jobs of government.“

Last night, only a few hours after the collapse, ex-Transportation Commish Elwin Tinklenberg went on-air to play the nasty “blame Pawlenty’s gas-tax veto!” card, which, I think, constitutes exactly what you speak of here – playing tragedy for cheap political gain even while people scrambled from the river.

Brodkorb (MDE) then posted about Tink’s press conference, making virtually the same comments you’ve made about the crassness of playing for partisan gain at such a time.

You then linked to Brodkorb, and labeled him as your first complaining-jerk example going for political gain.

Daily Kos, which was pretty much filled with hate-fueled obscene rants from the beginning, you simply mentioned as being “on bridge collapse.”

I understand that it was a bit harried last night, and maybe you read Brodkorb wrong, but, if not, you should probably speak more respectfully about “cheap political gain.”

If Bush had any tact whatsoever (which many of us already know he doesn’t), he would’ve made two separate speeches if he had two different points to make. The way he piggybacked the comment about the spending bill onto the one where he was supposedly talking about responding to this tragedy was absolutely shameless and despicable.

I can’t fricking believe he did that.

did what? he was done talking about mpls, and moved on to the budget…which is why his cabinet was meeting in the first place! i don’t love the guy either, but damn, the hate for all things bush completely blinds a lot of the people here.

Cubbie, I’m not going to respond by accusing you of being blinded by love for Bush. Please recognize that simply because we do not interpret Bush’s speech as you do, it is not because we are blinded by hatred. Even if Bush did not intend to make it sound as though the two parts of his speech were connected, it was so poorly formed as to be grotesquely insensitive.

Well, cubs, I think the Bush love is blinding some people here, just as you feel the Bush hate is possibly blinding me.

This is a tragedy, an unimaginable tragedy where at least four, possibly twenty to thirty people lost their lives. Bush should have had the class, grace, and dignity to scrap the previously planned speech, express his condolences thoughtfully, like he did today in the first half of his speech, and save the budget discussion for later in the day or tomorrow.

In other news, may the families of the missing find the courage and hope to get through the days until they know where their loved ones are. I can’t imagine the horror they are feeling.

A better option – Rybak should use the media. If he stepped to a microphone and demanded an apology from the president, do you think CNN would carry it? Damn right they would.

Kudos to all the people who helped get people out of their cars!

I was pretty close when the bridge collapsed and felt so helpless and stupid. Thank you to all the people who were nearby and helped! I wish I could have done more than stand dumbly on the Stone Arch Bridge with all the other people who were in shock.

Kudos!!!

I think I slightly undermined Josie’s point before she was finished typing it.

(gratuitous self-link)
A few “before” photos of the underside of the bridge:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibran/tags/35w/

Coleman’s article was SPOT ON. If anyone here REALLY KNEW that bridge was rated a 50 and that a rebuild “might” be needed, would they have used it?

Come the fuck on!!! Of course not!

Meanwhile we build these obscene stadiums for rich white billionaires and their millionaire players and are told if we don’t like it we can lump it.

Well I think it obvious that the greed and selfishness of the Pawlenty and Bush Adminstrations have manifested themselves in this tragedy. This is not “pointing fingers” this is “facing the facts.” You cannot continue to cut spending on ESSENTIAL services and expect no consequneces.

I sincerely wonder whether or not if this bridge had been in a Rich White Suburb as opposed to Minneapolis, if it would not have been more of a “priority” for our gracious Gov.

Perhaps if we all threaten to leave (like Pohlad and Co.) we can get the Powers That BE to approve funding and taxation that would eliminate the possibility of our bridges crashing to the ground.

I look around this wonderful city and I wonder, which one is next?

“I’m a uniter, not a divider”….yeah, thanks. nice job uniting the people, President Assclown.

Somehow, being told “I feel you pain” through crocodile tears doesn’t seem so overwrought at a time like this.

Sorry, here’s the proper link.

Sorry about the site being down, everyone. Load problems, I think.

let’s see, Bobby_b

Ex-transportation commissioner — I would think he may have a little background in infrastructure, and he opinion might have a tiny bit or relevancy.

GOP communications op — Not quite as much.

I will second or third my agreement with the material contain in Nick Coleman’s column. We’ll blindly fund stadiums (without a public vote) for millionaire team owners but can get anything transit-related built without endless hand-wringing, public hearings and referendums. It seems that entertainment has more value than the necessities in our country and Bush’s wrapping two very separate topics into one speech and still finding a way to twist them together was beyond wrong. It was disgusting. He seems to ride the coattails of tragedy for the advancement of his own agenda. It’s despicable to say the least.

Any 5-year old Mn vehicle is a rust bucket. Uffda! Gee, I wonder how road salt affects steel? Duh!

Just got off the phone with Noah Kunin and he just talked with the Chairman of the NTSB and Chief of Police. He confirmed with them the two rumors that the bridge was lacking redundancy and there was a secondary collapse.

Now I don’t feel so bad that MNSpeak went down. The Star Tribune is down now, too.

Candlelight memorial tonight… Stone Arch Bridge @ 8:30/8:45p if anyone would like to come out to show support.

Coleman blaming the Twins Stadium is ridiculous. Almost as bad as Bush. Both: predictable.

the whole lack of redundancy in the bridge was the first thing I thought of when I heard about this. it was a really awful cheapskate bridge design in the first place.

but I am pretty pissed about how it’s so much easier to ram a stadium down our throats than adequately fund transportation infrastructure in this state. way to veto that transportation bill, governor douchetard!

Here’s a nice quote from after he vetoed it:

The Republican governor said a higher gas tax would be “untimely and misguided.”

Untimely indeed, you fucking prick.

I’m not allowed to read Coleman. Bad for my blood pressure. Did he mention the cost and wisdom of that amusement ride called LRT?

I just got home from (attempting) to give blood at the Red Cross on West River Parkway. I called them earlier today to confirm you could still get to them and the woman who answered the phone said yes. However a police officer would not let me go through the barriers to the building, even though I could see a tent set up in the parking lot, so I’m not quite sure what’s going on there. So if you’re trying to give blood, go to another location.

I didn’t want to rubberneck – I feel weird about that knowing there are people in the water – but I could see one end of the collapsed bridge on my walk down West River Parkway by the Mill City Museum and it made my stomach turn over.

(Also, some douchebag very obviously took a picture of me with his cameraphone while I was walking through the park. WTF?? What good will a blurry cameraphone picture of a woman with a scowl on her face sticking up her middle finger do for anyone?)

it was a really awful cheapskate bridge design in the first place.

Yup, that damn cheap LBJ. He was in office when that bridge was approved and built by the feds. He knew that design was inadequate yet he allowed it to be built.

B – L – A – M – E! B – L – A – M – E!

Let’s all play the blame game!

Connecting “support for billionaires” to “Twins stadium” to “rusting out US infrastructure” is a cheapskate bridge too. And Pawlenty didn’t build the stadium or the 35W bridge. Where’s our federal money going? Build that bridge.

To suggest that there’s a direct correlation between the stadium and the bridge seems trite, as does saying that this could have been somehow avoided with a larger transportation funding. What I’m saying is that the timing of the collapse on the eve of the stadium groundbreaking is an irony worth wider analysis. Not as a political football, but as a statement about the world in which we live. Nero’s not playing the lute, but he might be holding a silver shovel in the warehouse district.

Christ, just got a tasteless e-mail:

“Hi Everyone -

Just a quick note to say that my thoughts and prayers are with all of the families who were touched by the 35W bridge collapse yesterday evening. I hope you, your friends, and family are all safe, as I know everyone was touched in at least some way.

On a lighter note, my website has brand new technology and I would love for all of you to use it as your number one real estate resource ….”

And it goes on. Unbelievable.

I blame Eisenhower for initiating the whole Interstate system! See kids it’s fun! Who can you blame?

I wonder how many bridges we could have rebuilt with that billion dollars we wasted on that choo choo train.

Matt, if it makes you feel any better, the Star Tribune website is having a lot of problems at the moment, too. They must be getting hammered with traffic.

This thread is turning unseemly less than 24 hours from the event.

I think we ought to find out the actual cause, before we start blaming Bush, Pawlenty, light rail or the Twins.

People use the train, maz. Seriously, they do. Why don’t people believe this?

I won’t be eligible to give blood for another week. (It hasn’t been 8 weeks yet since the last time I donated)

I blame ethanol! I blame solar flares! I blame cosmic rays! It isn’t only fun, it is down right easy!

Though I work about 6 blocks from the University/4th St Exit, I stopped using 35 once road construction got seriously underway…fuckin A. I count the river as a victim as well…I love that crazy stretch of water.

that billion dollars we wasted on that choo choo train.

we differ on the meaning of “wasted”.

also…

“All Twins games tomorrow and this weekend will be played as scheduled.

The game that was suppose to take place at 12:10 today will be rescheduled as a split doubleheader on Friday, August 31st. First game is at 1:10 p.m. (make-up for todays game) and the second game is at the regularly scheduled game time of 7:10 p.m.

Thank you for your patience and understanding after the tragic I-35 Bridge Collapse. “

…now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Come on, grote. Do you think the coincidence of a postponed groundbreaking for a stadium that will be used by the public, mostly by the middle class (because baseball is one of the most affordable of the professional spectator sports) really an irony worth wider analysis? Geez, maybe if the Twins had been contracted, then there wouldn’t have been anybody going to the game yesterday, and wait…see, that thinking is cheaper than a bleacher ticket. See if any CEOs disclosed their earnings today, or what the death toll in Baghdad was, or how many hits tmz collected, if you want to indulge in trenchant cultural analysis.

This is the bridge that scares the shit out of me. And I don’t scare easily. And I don’t care that they claim it was “rebuilt” in 1992-94. They really only replaced the deck, not the support system.

We definitely have entered the “Anger Phase.” Does anyone want to push us on to the “Bargaining Phase”?

I thought any bridge westbound across the river scared Maz?

Speechless in MPLS: It is important that people keep the area near the collapse clear for emergency work

Latest news
United Way handling volunteer calls
FBI issues warnings about tragedy related scams
Rybak has been preparing for disaster since 9/11
Bridge structurally deficient since 1990
Inspection history of the bridge
2001 story in Grand Forks newspaper pointed out bridge infrastructure problems
Strib suspends online registration because of heavy flow of traffic
Hi-res photos from Mn Daily

“We definitely have entered the “Anger Phase.” Does anyone want to push us on to the “Bargaining Phase”?“

Lemme try.

I think we can all agree that we’ve done too little maintenance and upgrade to lots and lots of our infrastructure. Problem is, in any administration, in any economy, there are things to spend money on that are much more fun and exciting than structural steel repairs to old bridges. No matter what taxing level we reached, I doubt the money for this would have ever have been more than a trickle.

I think all share this blame, unless you were out there actively fighting for bridge and culvert and foundational repair, and, frankly, no one has been doing that. The gas tax, had it been tripled, would be going for expanded roads, expanded rail, tunnels to the U and routes to DT SP, projects dealing with ethanol . . . all the stuff people could think of, except boring old “inspect steel structure, close bridge, tear out and re-design, re-deck . . .”

Now, watch for news about ambient temperature, steel expansion coefficients, and frozen expansion bearings. (Did you know the bridge, on one side, rode on wheels (overly simplified, but accurate) in order to account for expansion and contraction of the steel?)

stevemarsh-

Your pro-stadium, pro-bridge collapse, anti-Coleman stance comes as no surprise. (And fails to satisfy.)

Whatever serves your teen spirit, white bread, male fantasy needs at any cost is justifiable to you.

Meanwhile, Mazaspaza sputters three times about the light rail not realizing that more mass transit mean less stress on our already over-stressed and under funded (thanks to T-Paw & Bush) freeways and bridges. Typical blind ignorance.

Bottom line: selfish greed and ignorance are no excuse.

Put THIS on a PUBLIC REFERENDUM if, you have ANY Balls:

Would you, as a Hennepin County Resident, rather spend a BILLION DOLLARS on the new Stadium OR apply that money toward re-building our decaying infrastructure?

This is America (ain’t it??) LET’S VOTE!

(Just so long a Diebold does not do the tally.)

Flip lives.

People complaining about not enough infrastructure improvements must not ever leave their home. Can you drive anywhere in the Twin Cities and not encounter some type of construction this summer?

Not just cosmetic changes, but huge projects.

Unbelievable!

I’m pro-bridge collapse? C’mon, man. Don’t be a jerk. And referendum doesn’t equal democracy. Go ahead and google it or whatever the non-white dude information gathering alternative is. Pro-bridge collapse? That’s awfully low.

In the meanwhile, nuthin’ but love to all the families still waiting to hear about missing loved ones. This is so sad. Good luck to all the people diving in the water. Dangerous. We’ll get more news tomorrow, seems like. I’m out.

Pro-bridge collapse?

Forget it, Steve; it’s raindogtown.

Don’t be a jerk.

That’s a tall order for Raindog.

This is still so surreal and overwhelming. Here is this bridge on our little highway and it’s on every television channel, every website, all the time. How did it go from the hourly traffic report to the national news? International news has never been local before, at least not for me. Underneath all of it, dozens, perhaps several dozens, of people await recovery. Wow.

“Bottom line: selfish greed and ignorance are no excuse.“

Damn. Now what’ll I do?

“People complaining about not enough infrastructure improvements must not ever leave their home. Can you drive anywhere in the Twin Cities and not encounter some type of construction this summer?“

You’re seldom seeing infrastructure upgrade or repair. You’re seeing expansion of capacity, or resurfacing so you can hear your Ipod better while you drive, or you’re seeing sightlines improved and accesses made safer and curves flattened. But digging out old rusting culverts? Replacing the huge old sewer mains that are crumbling and leaking? Replacing aging (public) pipes or wires below the surface? Or bridge structural repair? I think we’ve seen more parking ramp structural repair than bridges.

mazasapa, what do you know about the Mendota Bridge? I work in Mendota Heights and cross that bridge pretty much every day. It’s very beautiful, and receives heavy bike traffic.
Do you believe it to be structurally unsound? Due to it’s age? Now I’m freaked out.

The Mendota Bridge when through a full rebuild from 1992-94

MPR: Authorities identify four victims

The Mendota Bridge when through a full rebuild from 1992-94

The bridge was rebuilt from the arches up and widened during 1992 and 1993. They didn’t rebuild the support footings.

WCCO says there are now 8 missing instead of 20.

A website devoted to your thoughts and prayers for the bridge victims: http://www.minneapolisbridgedisaster.com

This comment in the NY Times explains the structural difference between a steel truss and reinforced concrete bridge. In a nutshell, you have nothing to fear crossing the Mendota Bridge.

As I’m sure you have heard, Bush is coming

Someone on eBay is selling copies of today’s STrib and PiPress – $19.99 for both, and there are 9 sets available. Shipping (via USPS Priority Mail) is free.

Way to ca$h in on tragedy…

More bad news: forecast for the weekend is calling for rain in the area.

Gross…

Someone on eBay is selling copies of today’s STrib and PiPress – $19.99 for both, and there are 9 sets available. Shipping (via USPS Priority Mail) is free.

Way to ca$h in on tragedy…

Some people are just clueless…what a prick (whoever that is)

As I’m sure you have heard, Bush is coming

What’s the problem with that? As President he should show his support.

I heard a gal today refer to this event as, “our 9/11.”
Not even close. This is bad, but nowhere near that bad.
As for Bush coming…well it’s a lose/lose situation. If he doesn’t come, people say he doesn’t care. If he does come, people call it a political move.
I’m just avoiding downtown until he leaves so I don’t get caught in traffic.

Rhyno – Sparber didn’t say there was a problem with Bush coming to town. All he wrote was, “As I’m sure you’ve heard, Bush is coming.” Does he say anywhere in that sentence that it’s a problem??

fuck, bush needs to stay the fuck away. he’s going to fuck up the traffic even more with his police state security detail.

yeah, throwing 100 mil at us for a new bridge is a lot easier than giving a shit about new orleans, isn’t it? I guess no one told him black people live here too.

If he doesn’t come, people say he doesn’t care. If he does come, people call it a political move.

That’s like our two senators hopping on planes and getting back here asap lest someone say they don’t care. What a waste of time and money just to make an appearance to appease the superficial requirements of the masses and their press. They could have simply made a statement through their office and be done with it.

“yeah, throwing 100 mil at us for a new bridge is a lot easier than giving a shit about new orleans, isn’t it? I guess no one told him black people live here too.“

“MNspeak”?

Hopefully not. More like “INbreeding.”

yeah, throwing 100 mil at us for a new bridge is a lot easier than giving a shit about new orleans, isn’t it?

Getting a tooth pulled is a lot easier than giving a shit about new orleans.

Terrible tragedy, We send our condolences to the people of MN. The Twin Cities being the heart seems to be broken.
Our hope is for the well being of the people who were on the bridge at the time of the disaster, as well as our prayers for them and their families.
Our gratitude to all those who helped and are still helping.
Also Cudo’s to the reporters: broadcast, paper and net. Like DeRusha, Max, et al.

black people don’t “live” here, they “stay” here…ask them some time. it’s a matter of semantics.

wow, tagteaming conservative troll time!

someone, quick, blame some arabs or welfare queens!

Do you think it is possible to discuss the tragedy here without pissing on the memories of who died and what was destroyed elsewhere, Maz?

For those who haven’t seen it, the list of those who are confirmed to have died in the bridge collapse.

Do you think it is possible to discuss the tragedy here without pissing on the memories of who died and what was destroyed elsewhere, Maz?

what? all these pissy 6th graders taking cheap shots at the prez (cuz no matter what he does it’s wrong),and you single out maz? god you’re a pompous, clueless ass.

Hello all,

Hate to be introducing myself in such horrific circumstances, but my name is Aaron, and I’m planning on moving to the TC soon. My GF and family comes from the area + my desire for new places to explore breeds my motivation to go from FL to MN. I’ve been following this blog for several months to see what I’m getting myself into upon moving (I think Minnesotans are very progressive, caring people). This being said I’d like to add some comments to the conversation…

I sincerely hope all of you have found the whereabouts of your loved ones, and my thoughts are with those who haven’t.

I’d like to state the reason for my finally posting: whoever originally posted “Has anyone heard from Maz.” made me do it. In spite of constant political disagreement, this made me feel that the Minnesotans on this blog share something deeper than who they vote for. Not that my personal assessment means anything but anyway…

I hope to become part of this community soon. Again, my thoughts are with you

3.2.1.

Structural deficiencies in the Interstate 35W bridge that collapsed Wednesday were so serious that the Minnesota Department of Transportation last winter considered bolting steel plates to its supports to prevent cracking in fatigued metal, according to documents and interviews with agency officials.
.
.
.
“A construction industry official who met with MnDOT about shortcomings on the I-35W bridge told the Star Tribune that there have been ongoing concerns among some MnDOT employees about the safety of this and other similar bridges.

“There were people over there that were deathly afraid that this kind of tragedy was going to be visited on us,” the industry official said. “There were people in the department that were screaming to have these replaced.”MnDOT has been trying to move these ‘fracture critical’ bridges up in their [budget] sequencing so something like this wouldn’t happen,” the source said.

cultural anthropologist, that’s the Scots idiom, too.

Man, that’s so far off-topic………….! Sorry.

Does anyone else think that the only reason for Bush’s visit is to lay the groundwork for the Republican Convention next year i.e. creating a way to MILK this tragedy in the same way they Exploited 9/11 in New York?

No doubt this kind of opportunism is the kind of thing that energizes their base, as we have already seen demonstrated in this thread.

At least Bush and his followers provide all of us with some significant guideposts as to just how spent, miserable, and depraved the human soul can really be, even in a time of insurmountable agony and despair.

They really feast on human misery in a way that is shocking.

And sad.

And predictable.

Are you serious, cubbie? You are aware that 1800 people lost their lives in Hurricane Katrina? And that entire sections of the city, entire Parishes, were destroyed by the Hurricane? You’re honestly comparing someone minimizing the pain and suffering experienced in that with people expressing frustration and resentment at the president?

And you might wish to go back and reread the thread before suggesting that I am singling out Maz; I have been trying to address insensitive behavior wherever I have seen it. Also, you might want to remember that I was living in New Orleans when Hurrican Katrina hit, and so am justifiably sensitive when people decide that it is funny to spit on a city that has suffered more than enough.

Well, I just skimmed the editorial page of Minnesota’s newspaper of record and it appears the results are in: Republicans are to blame. This one wonders how long he will keep biting his own toungue. Maybe another day or so.

I cannot believe that the bridge collapsed. I have always had a fear of that particular bridge. The first time I was about to drive over it I had pulled over to the side of the road to think about whether I really wanted to cross it. I am just thankful that Minnesota has such a close community that thinks of everyone and not just themselves. My thoughts and prayers are with those waiting for answers and those who have the answers they prayed not to get.

Duderino, Point taken. Sparber did not say there was a problem with it.

I guess I just inferred that and shouldn’t have. My apologies. I just hate the fact that people start politicizing events like this before the dust even settles (guilty on both sides).

Bush may be crazy incompetent, but raindog’s just plain crazy. no, not plain crazy…batshit crazy. britney spears crazy