Yes, we're fine
***UPDATE - the comments now include BC's take on this - well worth the read - thanks BC for sharing***
So as most of you have heard by now, yesterday at about 6:05pm the 35W bridge over the Mississippi collapsed. Last I heard there were 5 dead and many more reported injured. The damage itself is hard to put into perspective for people not from here, but it will be a very long time for a new bridge to be constructed. I will say it was interesting to hear BC's take on it while he and Brandon were watching the news together (and drinking) last night.
So to answer the questions: Neither Brandon nor I were on that bridge and in all reality, we rarely ever are. I was actually already in Mankato for sectionals (see Govies is good for something) and Brandon was either at home or at the gym, I'm not really sure.
I do work about 2 blocks (maybe) from the bridge. This morning there are police everywhere, trying to keep people away. I had to park a few blocks away as well because they are using our parking lot for the Red Cross and for people arriving from the NTSB. That really kind of put it in perspective just how close it really is.
I will say it was nice to hear from so many friends and family. Thank you for your concern.
Comments
Glad to hear you're ok! I heard about the collapse after I woke up this morning and thought of you two. The first thing I thought of was to check snoconeofluv to see if you had made a post. I'm sure it will take a while for the Twin Cities to get everything sorted out.
Posted by: Amy | August 2, 2007 07:44 AM
What was BC's take on it?
Posted by: Sara | August 3, 2007 10:39 PM
My first take on the whole thing was I was a bit freaked out. I was on that bridge at noon on the day it collapsed. I drive across it 3 or 4 days every week on the way to different job sites. And I knew from taking a graduate class in bridge maintenance and rehabilitation that the bridge (yes, that actual bridge, which was a half block from our classroom and that we looked at for two hours one day from the underside) was "fracture critical" and that meant that if one of a certain number of members failed, the bridge would likely fall down. And that's what I think happened. How it happened, I don't know. Only time will tell. I don't like to speculate, because it only makes my profession look bad, and I don't want to say things that aren't proven to be correct. However, I don't think the bridge was unsafe...after all, I still used it. And I have faith that other bridges are safe to. But that's no comfort to those who lost loved ones in the collapse. It is a terrible tragedy, and I look forward to learning what actually caused it.
America's infrastructure is crumbling, and politicians (and the general public) have turned a blind eye. I hope people reading this will take the message to heart and elect public officials willing to do whatever it takes to fund infrastructure improvements. Senator Klobuchar said "bridges in this country do not just 'fall down'". Well, apparently, they do. The $450 billion spent on the war in Iraq could have been used to replace all deficient bridges in the US two times over. That amount of money has only been spent in the last 5 years. And I don't think any bridges in Iraq just 'fell down' on their own this year.
Posted by: BC | August 7, 2007 12:00 AM