Minneapolis Bridge Collapses

Last evening a bridge connecting Minneapolis and St. Paul, weighed down with bumper-to-bumper rush-hour traffic, broke into several pieces and plunged over 60 feet into the Mississippi River. At least 50 vehicles fell. As of now up to nine people (according to some sources) are said to have died, and at least 60 people were injured.

Since when do we have Third World infrastructure? And in Minnesota, of all places? An out and out collapse. None of it is standing.

Apparently last year hairline fractures were discovered in the bridge, but guess what work they were doing on it as of yesterday, when it fell? Nothing structural. Repairs to the deck, guard rails, and lights.

I hope this lights a fire under some asses, in that city and others. In the meantime, I can't imagine what some of these commuters went through. Supposedly a bus full of children avoided spilling into the river by just a few feet. I was reading about it this morning as my train rumbled across the Manhattan Bridge, over the East River. This kind of thing is one of my worst nightmares.