Bridge Collapse

[Sttab]

Seeing those pictures on the news was totally surreal. I've fished DIRECTLY below that bridge before. Hard to believe it all came down...

[bassNspear]

very very crazy

[jigginjim]

I have fished that area myself. Great spot, We caught alot of smallies there.

[Cyberfish]

Unbelievable! really devastasting. I used this bridge 1000s of times as a courier. Lord be with the victims and families..

[Carp-fisher]

Good to hear from ya Mike. Wow what a sad day...I've used that bridge a bajillion times. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families....

[Sandmannd]

My thoughts are with these people. I wonder if anyone was fishing under it, that would be a horible way to go.

[polarsusd81]

From the sounds of things it was kinda rumbling for a minute before it went down. I know if I heard something strange from under there I would want to get out quick. I wonder if any FM members were fishing the river in a boat and helped with the rescue. It looked like a couple fishing boats were out there. I don't think that bridge will be in service for at least two years with the extent of the damage. It will take probably the better part of a month to just remove the collapsed material, survey the scene, and tag each part for investigation. The design of a new bridge will take a good bit of time as well. A lot of factors obviously played out today. I went over the bridge on the way home from work about an hour before it happened. I am not going to blame the construction, but there were some rather large holes in that bridge and the concrete is only one piece of a large system to hold the bridge up. To call this a tragedy would be putting it lightly.

My thoughts are with all the victims.

[Cyberfish]

Hi Ben, yeah the more this is sinking in the more sick I am feeling too...

[Powerstroke]

This is a great tragedy for all involved. I have said prayers for victims and the Emergency Personnel. I am a firefighter in the metro and we were on standby for many reasons tonight. God bless all those affected.

The concrete rehab supposedly has nothing to do with the strength of the bridge. The bridge is entirely supported by the steel span. The concrete is just resting on top as a platform. Although I will say, how many cement trucks and semi's on a bridge at one time is too many?

[alex1]

Quote:

---

Unbelievable! really devastasting. I used this bridge 1000s of times as a courier. Lord be with the victims and families..

---

Very well put, Amen.

[MSRiverdog]

I fished below the 35W bridge before there was a bridge. The Walleyes and Cats tasted good and I didn't know what a Smallie was. The Eyes and Cats went back home with me in the basket of my bike.

[Sttab]

Quote:

---

The concrete rehab supposedly has nothing to do with the strength of the bridge. The bridge is entirely supported by the steel span. The concrete is just resting on top as a platform. Although I will say, how many cement trucks and semi's on a bridge at one time is too many?

---

The way I heard, it's that large sections of concrete had been removed from the bridge. Assuming the concrete acts as something of a 'rubber band', when you cut a little square out of a rubber band, it loses most its elasticity. In this case, the concrete 'snapped', sending it down.

Then again, what do I know...It's just what I've heard

Quote:

---

My thoughts are with these people. I wonder if anyone was fishing under it, that would be a horible way to go.

---

If I could die while fishing, I just might die happy.

[danwilliams]

"Assuming the concrete acts as something of a 'rubber band'"

Not how it works.......it's the steel.. and in other bridges that are made with prestressed bridge beams...it's the tension jacked cables.

[danwilliams]

My guess would be the concrete piers failed where steel is mounted.

Tragic...........

[CALVINIST]

My prayers to all the families, health care workers, and rescue people involved. You gotta wonder how many people really bit the dust in this one! Guess time will tell. My father-in-law is a retired MNDot engineer, he was not involved in building that bridge, but has said he never liked the way it was built. He also said that 200,000 cars used that bridge every day, and that it will probably take 5 years to build another bridge (It will take a year just to draw up the plans!) In any case, the bridge collapse will really affect the traffic flow and things will be a major headache for quite sometime!

[polarsusd81]

One has to wonder if they will open 35E to large trucks to help in the time of need we now face? It might not be a bad idea to do so. I don't think it will take 5 years to construct a new one, it will most likely take a team of engineers 4 months or so to design a replacement and that new design will see a lot of scrutiny. While the design is being completed, they will clear the scene and prep for a new bridge and then the construction phase will probably begin. I would say 24-30 months start to finish with the amount of pressure the team will be under til we see a new bridge.

I am pretty sure when the investigation is complete we will see that the construction was at least a portion of the cause of the collapse. Riding over the bridge on a bus on the ride home from work through the entire construction phase, I was able to have a good vantage point as to the construction progress and there were some pretty good sized holes. I went over the bridge 45 minutes before the collapse yesterday. I can't be sure, but with the proximity those guys had with the rebar and the business end of the jackhammer, there may have been some damage to it.

[hunting4walleyes]

Quote:

---

You gotta wonder how many people really bit the dust in this one!

---

That was pretty callous! You can have a little respect for the people caught in this.

Quote:

---

In any case, the bridge collapse will really affect the traffic flow and things will be a major headache for quite sometime!

---

Think about the people that will never make it home to their family. I guess 30 minutes tacked on to the commute is not so bad.

[Coach1310]

I don't think anyone was trying to be insensitive. It is a sad tragedy that took place and all people deal with it differently. We should all feel free to express our thoughts whether it be about those lost or the lingering affects we will feel for years to come(including traffic). For our ability to discuss these things freely helps all of us deal with our thoughts and feelings. My prayers go out to all those affected.

[hunting4walleyes]

I don't have a problem about people complaining about traffic. I just think they should at least wait until all the victims are removed from the river. It is a tragedy everyone has to deal with. What good are you going to do by complaining about traffic? I think that is on the bottom of the list of bad things that are going to come from this. I am sorry if I sound like a a$$ but I had a relative involved with this incident.

[CALVINIST]

Quote:

---

I don't have a problem about people complaining about traffic. I just think they should at least wait until all the victims are removed from the river. It is a tragedy everyone has to deal with. What good are you going to do by complaining about traffic? I think that is on the bottom of the list of bad things that are going to come from this. I am sorry if I sound like a a$$ but I had a relative involved with this incident.

---

Dude, sorry if I offended you. I meant no harm in my comments. Just blind to my own insensitivities...

[ChemMechanicInc]

My thoughts, prayers, and sympathy goes to those invloved in any way or form to this awful tragedy.

I'd like to bring to light a few points that have crossed my mind in the past day or so.

As Minnesota fisherpeople, we drive our vehicles onto frozen lake bodies each winter. It is not uncommon to see 50 or more trucks grouped in one small area at a time on as little as 10-12" of ice.

With that as perspective, it seems there would have had to have been obvious structural issues for a large reinforced structure of iron, rebar, steel, and concrete to come tumbling down in the sudden manner in which it did.

I have also been involved in demolition, and must say that even with intentional destruction, it takes alot of wallop to destroy something that was originally built to be indestructable.

This is an absolutly heart wrenching and outrageous incident for our community, state, and country.

[weimguy]

Check the pics out in this video - we have a winner!

http://www.wcco.com/video/[email protected]

[bassNspear]

very crazy.

[cableguy031]

OK...I'm gonna put my opinion in along with everyone else. I agree that this was a tragic event and heart break for the families that had to suffer. My mother called me from California asking if I was ok. I told her that during my course of employment, I crossed that bridge at least 5 times in 3 days. However I was lucky to be elsewhere when this event happened.

At this time no one know exactly what caused the collapse, it could be a variety of factors ranging from rust to stress fracure which led to total failure. It would be a while before any cause can be determined.

Now I want to come at this same subject from another direction and different way of comprehension. We, as humans, do not live forever. Some are more fortunate to live over 100 and some won't even get to see 3 months old. I believed that aside from scientific explanations and modern technological achievements, there is another unknown/unproven force that determines the end of a human being with a plan of death.

I believe that it doesn't matter what your religion/race/sex is, when it's time for you to go, it's time for you to go. It doesn't matter that you're a devoted individual to your religion or how often you attend service of any kind, there comes a time when the call will come and you have no choice but to heed the call.

I'm not saying anyone's religion/race/sex is good or bad, we just chose worship a different idol amongst ourselves. There are people out there that take tremendous risks yet they manage to avoid death each time, why? Because it's not their time to go. However there are those out there that don't associate themselves or put themselves in a risky position where life and death had to be taken into serious consideration. Yet, these people die at a much earlier age and rate than those who do take risks. For example, Christopher Reeve(Superman) died from pneumonia stemming from the accident when he fell off the horse during a jump. He was not participating in a risky activity such as BASE jumping off of a tall high rise. It was his time to go. Look at George Burns, he was smoking those cigars and putting that steam freight train to shame, yet he lived to 100 years old.

All I'm saying is that sometimes tragic deaths are not coincidences but rather a planned chain of events by an unknown/unproven force. However, as in the circle of life for the animal and human world, the weak and feeble are usually terminated so that the strong can strive further. I suppose that these tragic deaths and loss of loved ones were created and carried out.

The above statement was formed in my own opinion, it was not intended to offend anyone or degrade anyone's religion/sex/race. You may or may not agree with the entire statement, which is perfectly acceptable.

[CanOCorn]

To partially quote the principal from Billy Madison "Mr. CableGuy, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on fishingminnesota is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

For real though, this is a local tragedy and this is a local website. Be a little sensitive.

[elusivecrappiecatcher]

Quote:

---

To partially quote the principal from Billy Madison "Mr. CableGuy, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on fishingminnesota is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

For real though, this is a local tragedy and this is a local website. Be a little sensitive.

---

I love when people go off about everyone’s "OPINION".

It is "OPINION" He should be able to say what he wants. DEAL WITH IT PEOPLE!

I for one think it was a tragic unfortunate thing, my thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and families, but everyone like I said should be able to have and "OPINION".

"Opinion" in other words FREEDOM OF SPEECH!

[Slyster]

Although that view is different than mine I appreciated it. Very interesting. People should feel free to state opinions.

[CALVINIST]

Quote:

---

OK...I'm gonna put my opinion in along with everyone else. I agree that this was a tragic event and heart break for the families that had to suffer. My mother called me from California asking if I was ok. I told her that during my course of employment, I crossed that bridge at least 5 times in 3 days. However I was lucky to be elsewhere when this event happened.

At this time no one know exactly what caused the collapse, it could be a variety of factors ranging from rust to stress fracure which led to total failure. It would be a while before any cause can be determined.

Now I want to come at this same subject from another direction and different way of comprehension. We, as humans, do not live forever. Some are more fortunate to live over 100 and some won't even get to see 3 months old. I believed that aside from scientific explanations and modern technological achievements, there is another unknown/unproven force that determines the end of a human being with a plan of death.

I believe that it doesn't matter what your religion/race/sex is, when it's time for you to go, it's time for you to go. It doesn't matter that you're a devoted individual to your religion or how often you attend service of any kind, there comes a time when the call will come and you have no choice but to heed the call.

I'm not saying anyone's religion/race/sex is good or bad, we just chose worship a different idol amongst ourselves. There are people out there that take tremendous risks yet they manage to avoid death each time, why? Because it's not their time to go. However there are those out there that don't associate themselves or put themselves in a risky position where life and death had to be taken into serious consideration. Yet, these people die at a much earlier age and rate than those who do take risks. For example, Christopher Reeve(Superman) died from pneumonia stemming from the accident when he fell off the horse during a jump. He was not participating in a risky activity such as BASE jumping off of a tall high rise. It was his time to go. Look at George Burns, he was smoking those cigars and putting that steam freight train to shame, yet he lived to 100 years old.

All I'm saying is that sometimes tragic deaths are not coincidences but rather a planned chain of events by an unknown/unproven force. However, as in the circle of life for the animal and human world, the weak and feeble are usually terminated so that the strong can strive further. I suppose that these tragic deaths and loss of loved ones were created and carried out.

The above statement was formed in my own opinion, it was not intended to offend anyone or degrade anyone's religion/sex/race. You may or may not agree with the entire statement, which is perfectly acceptable.

---

Provocative POV. I for one am going to put this into the "Existential Theological Darwinism" catagory . Thanks Cableguy! And I am not offended!

[CanOCorn]

I'm sorry elusivecrapcatcher... I guess I should have said in my opinion and then quoted the principal from Billy Madison.

Quote from CableGuy:

Quote:

---

However, as in the circle of life for the animal and human world, the weak and feeble are usually terminated so that the strong can strive further.

---

You were fine with all the other gibberish but then you start going into human and animal world and bring up the "weak and feeble" you lost me and it seemed very insensitive and irrelavant to the situation.

[Johnny_Da_Der]

yeah..... OK time to kill this thread.

Back to fishing, everybody....