I-35W Bridge Collapses into Mississippi River in Minneapolis

[Balta1701]

More than 70,000 bridges across the country are rated structurally deficient like the span that collapsed in Minneapolis, and engineers estimate repairing them all would take at least a generation and cost more than $188 billion.

 

That works out to at least $9.4 billion a year over 20 years, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers.

 

Separately, the Federal Highway Administration has said addressing the backlog of needed bridge repairs would cost at least $55 billion. That was five years ago, with expectations of more deficiencies to come.

 

It is money that Congress, the federal government and the states have so far been unable or unwilling to spend.

 

"We're not doing what the engineers are saying we need to be doing," said Gregory Cohen, president of the American Highway Users Alliance, an advocacy group representing a wide range of motorists.

 

"Unfortunately when you consistently underinvest in roads and bridges ... this is the dangerous consequence," Cohen said of Wednesday's deadly Mississippi River bridge collapse in Minneapolis. He said engineers have estimated $75 billion a year is needed just to keep highways and bridges from further deterioration, but that only around $60 billion a year is being provided.

 

As 2007 began, at least 73,694 of the nation's 596,808 bridges, or about 12 percent, were classified as "structurally deficient," Federal Highway Administration figures show. They include 816 built as recently as the early 1990s and 3,871 that are nearly a century old,

Yahoo link

[Kid Gleason]

The least the government could do then is post a list on the internet of such bridges so that we have a knowledge of where things are a little less than "safe".

[Brian]

Sheesh. Already have specials coming up on TV about bridges and how we need to be careful driving over them and we aren't safe!!! FEAR!!!!

[Texsox]

In this case, it makes me SICK when people politicize something like this. What the hell is wrong with you people (you people being the politicians)? It's a problem, it was before 6:00 last night, and now it's a bigger problem. Stop blaming people, fix it, and let's move on.

 

It really depends on how it is "politicized". If the Dems and the Reps begin debate on how best to solve the problem, isn't that what our system is all about? Why/How did we arrive at this point and what is the best route out?

 

Then let the tax and spend Dems come up with their plan and the spend, cut taxes, and borrow money from foreign banks Reps come up with theirs. It may be political, but that is how we figure out a plan in this country. It seems sick, and probably is, but it is what it is.

[Mplssoxfan]

I say a lot of hyperbolic things on purpose around here, because most of what's spouted by my so-called counter opinions are pretty hyperbolic as well, only most of those folks don't see it that way.

 

In this case, it makes me SICK when people politicize something like this. What the hell is wrong with you people (you people being the politicians)? It's a problem, it was before 6:00 last night, and now it's a bigger problem. Stop blaming people, fix it, and let's move on.

Don't get me wrong; I think that this should be political fodder, if political fodder means getting these things fixed. I do wish both sides could wait until the recovery efforts are complete, though.

 

The main problem here is that it's much sexier for politicos to spend money on new infrastructure instead shoring up what we already have. As I said, with any luck, this will cause people to realize we need to fix a lot of these things.

[kapkomet]

Don't get me wrong; I think that this should be political fodder, if political fodder means getting these things fixed. I do wish both sides could wait until the recovery efforts are complete, though.

 

The main problem here is that it's much sexier for politicos to spend money on new infrastructure instead shoring up what we already have. As I said, with any luck, this will cause people to realize we need to fix a lot of these things.

No, it's already political fodder for people blaming one another, not how to get it fixed. And it's bulls*** at damn near its highest form.

 

[sox4lifeinPA]

I have a serious question about the bridge collapse and it's cause...

 

 

Consider the following possibilities of causes of a bridge collapse in the light of the news reports that thousands of bridges across the US are in as bad shape as the one that fell: Which of these frightens you more?

 

A terrorist bomb destroying a bridge in rush hour

 

or

 

Bridge Maintainence being terribly underfunded and the number of bridges in need of repairs outgrowing the number of bridges being repaired each year, therefore causing a guessing game as to which bridge might fall next.

 

 

thoughts?

[Balta1701]

The least the government could do then is post a list on the internet of such bridges so that we have a knowledge of where things are a little less than "safe".

Your wish is MSNBC and my command.

[sox4lifeinPA]

PA....nice and deficient...

 

 

"that's what she said...."

 

wah wah wah...just to get it out of the way.