| There are some tragic news stories that reflect | | | | records show that the I-35W bridge ranked near the |
| weather and nature related catastrophes like the | | | | bottom of federal inspection ratings nationwide. The |
| death and destruction due to droughts, floods, | | | | I-35W bridge was given a rating of 50 in the year |
| hurricanes, earthquakes or tornadoes. There are sad, | | | | 2005. Out of 104,348 heavily used bridge structures |
| tragic stories like accidental drowning, car accidents, | | | | (those with more than 10,000 vehicles traveling on |
| and heart attacks. | | | | them per day), only 4,227, or 4%, scored below 50. |
| Then there is the story of the collapse of the I-35W | | | | Problems were noted in two subsequent inspection |
| bridge over the Mississippi River in Minnesota on | | | | reports in 2006. The inspection carried out June 15, |
| August 1, 2005 at 605pm.(CDT). There were thirteen | | | | 2006 found problems of cracking and fatigue. |
| deaths due to this bridge collapse and the victims, eight | | | | So what was the reaction by Minnesota state officials |
| males and five females aged 22 months to 60 years, | | | | when the I-35W bridge collapsed? "We thought we |
| who were all Minnesota residents. | | | | had done all we could," state bridge engineer Dan |
| They were probably returning home after a day of | | | | Dorgan told reporters not far from the mangled |
| work and were caught in rush hour in a traffic jam, | | | | remains of the bridge. "Obviously something went |
| moving slowly across the bridge in a limited number of | | | | terribly wrong." |
| lanes when the central span of the bridge suddenly | | | | Minnesota Governor Pawlenty must have been equally |
| gave way, followed by the adjoining spans. The bridge | | | | shocked since he said in August of 2006 that his |
| structure and deck collapsed into the river and onto | | | | interpretation of the bridge inspection reports indicated |
| the riverbanks below. Approximately 100 vehicles | | | | that the bridge "would last until 2020 or beyond." |
| were involved, sending their occupants and several | | | | Unfortunately, his prediction was proven wrong by |
| construction workers up to 115 feet down to the river | | | | thirteen years and thirteen premature deaths. |
| and onto its banks. Northern sections fell into a rail yard, | | | | Repairing bridges is not as politically attractive as other |
| landing on three unoccupied and stationary freight train | | | | community projects for state politicians seeking |
| cars. | | | | election. In fact up to twenty percent of state |
| Why is this tragic story so different from floods, | | | | transportation spending goes toward more visible |
| hurricanes, drought, accidents, and earthquakes? | | | | community projects like museums and bike paths. |
| Because this story should never have occurred and | | | | Minnesota has used transportation spending on ninety |
| the thirteen people who lost their lives returning from | | | | miles of dedicated bike lanes and off street commuter |
| work that August afternoon should never have | | | | trails. |
| perished. The bridge collapsed and thirteen people lost | | | | The large expenditures of fixing and building |
| their life because this was a bridge too far removed | | | | infrastructure like bridges can often be to cumbersome |
| from the oversight of a competent and fiscally | | | | for state and local governments. This is where the |
| responsible state and federal government. Lets | | | | Federal Transportation bill comes into force. However, |
| examine the record of the I-35W bridge: | | | | this bill has been a large part of federal government |
| In 1990, the Federal Highway Administration gave the | | | | waste for years. This is the bill that was the sponsor |
| I-35W bridge a rating of "structurally deficient," citing | | | | for the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere" in Alaska. In fact, |
| significant corrosion in its bearings. | | | | the Federal Transportation Bill has been a significant |
| Since 1993, the bridge was inspected annually by the | | | | part of the two hundred and fifty two billion dollars of |
| Minnesota Department of Transportation. In the years | | | | federal pork barrel spending (Citizens Against |
| prior to the collapse, many different reports cited | | | | Government Waste ) since 1991 that our career |
| problems with the bridge's structure, yet the state of | | | | federal politicians have feasted on to help insure their |
| Minnesota relied on patchwork repairs and stepped-up | | | | reelection. ( See Pork Barrel Spending Wastes Tax |
| inspections. | | | | Dollars in the National Journal on this site). |
| According to a 2001 study by the civil engineering | | | | So, what had the federal government done to help |
| department of the University Of Minnesota, cracking | | | | Minnesota with the I-35W bridge repair , since the 1990 |
| was discovered in the cross girders at the end of the | | | | Federal Highway Administration Report deemed the |
| approach spans. The main trusses connected to these | | | | bridge "structurally deficient"? What had the federal |
| cross girders and resistance to motion at the | | | | government done to help Minnesota with the ongoing |
| connection point bearings was leading to unanticipated | | | | recognition of the structural problems with the bridge |
| out-of-plane distortion of the cross girders and | | | | by the U.S. Department of Transportation? The |
| subsequent stress cracking. The situation was | | | | answer is that the I-35W bridge for sixteen years was |
| addressed by drilling the cracks to prevent further | | | | not a federally funded infrastructure project despite |
| propagation and adding supports struts to the cross | | | | several federal reports indicating severe structural |
| girder to prevent further distortion. The report also | | | | problems, which would lead to the tragedy of August 1, |
| noted a concern about lack of redundancy in the main | | | | 2007. |
| system, which meant the bridge had a greater risk of | | | | State and Federal Government officials need to fund |
| collapse in the event of any single structural failure. | | | | infrastructure projects on priorities and needs and not |
| In 2005, the bridge was again rated as "structurally | | | | the political expediency of the next election. |
| deficient" and in possible need of replacement, | | | | Government needs to address issues of bridges and |
| according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's | | | | dams and highways long before they structurally |
| National Bridge Inventory database. The federal | | | | collapse. |
| National Bridge Inventory database of inspection | | | | |