I-35W Bridge collapse; inspectors had flagged serious cracks, rusting, broken bolts etc..

[Socio]

I-35W inspectors flagged serious cracks, rusting

State bridge inspectors warned for nearly a decade before its collapse that the Interstate 35W bridge had "severe" and "extensive" corrosion of its beams and trusses, "widespread cracking" in spans and missing or broken bolts.
Not only was the superstructure in poor condition, but certain components were "beyond tolerable limits," and one of the bridge's piers had "tilted to the north," they reported.

Whomever those inspectors have been reporting this information to and choose not to do anything about it, not only needs to loose their job, they need to be charged at the very least with multiple counts of manslaughter and go to prison even if it turns out to be the Governor.

 

[Genx87]

I highly doubt the gov reads the MnDots bridge assessment reports. Somebody at MNDOT does though, and they at the very minimum need to be fired.

 

[GoPackGo]

Sounds like it wasn't the inspectors fault...but Government Beauracracy.

That bridge should have been closed for repair...but I can see some big wig at MNDOT more worried about his career than closing a bridge for six months to a year to fix it right.

 

[babylon5]

By nature, the way our Government works is inefficient, slow to response, certain carelessness, and expensive. Whether it's pre 9/11 warning, Katrina, now Twin City Bridge, the same government cause a lot of damage that could be prevented. And it'll be that way until the end of USA, whenever that is.

At least you get to see how things fall apart on TV.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Not a problem, just add more taxes

http://www.suntimes.com/news/n...T-NWS-bridge08.article

 

[bctbct]

wow, hard to believe someone ignored this if its true.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Socio
I-35W inspectors flagged serious cracks, rusting

State bridge inspectors warned for nearly a decade before its collapse that the Interstate 35W bridge had "severe" and "extensive" corrosion of its beams and trusses, "widespread cracking" in spans and missing or broken bolts.

Not only was the superstructure in poor condition, but certain components were "beyond tolerable limits," and one of the bridge's piers had "tilted to the north," they reported.

Whomever those inspectors have been reporting this information to and choose not to do anything about it, not only needs to loose their job, they need to be charged at the very least with multiple counts of manslaughter and go to prison even if it turns out to be the Governor.

The first thing I noticed when the bridge pics came flooding in was that pier had moved and I posted about it in the OT thread.

I got dozens and dozens of hate back from ATers that I was full of shit and it couldn't have moved before the collapse.

I may be full of shit but that piered moved prior to the collaspe and was probably the biggest reason why it went down.

 

[sandorski]

Politicians likely knew about it or would have known about it if they paid attention. The problem is Politicians who ignore the warnings from Experts. Fools ignore or even mock Experts all the time. You need not look far to see the Fools are in control.

 

[dmcowen674]

As the recovery operation continued Thursday, so did the investigation into the cause of the collapse. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday they had found design flaws in the bridge's gusset plates, which help tie the steel beams together.

That discovery prompted Transportation Secretary Mary Peters to advise states to carefully consider any additional stress placed on bridges during construction projects. An 18-person crew had been working on the Interstate 35W span when it suddenly collapsed during the evening rush hour.

J. Richard Capka, administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, said Thursday that the agency would quickly advise transportation agencies around the country of steps they should take if a systematic problem with gusset plates was found, though he said no such advisory was yet in the works.

"Gusset plates have been around a long time, and they've been a reliable feature, and we have no indication that they've ever been part of a suspect bridge problem or a bridge failure before," Capka said.
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But it's sure not normal for piers to move.