35W Freeway Bridge Collapse

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Unimatic1140

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Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Messages
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Location
Minneapolis
Just to let everyone know I just got home and I am fine and safe and not on the roads right now. There has been a terrible bridge collapse over the Mississippi River close the U of M Campus near downtown Minneapolis, but I didn't want you guys to worry since I'm sure it's probably over the national news. Neal isn't home yet and the cell phone circuits are all busy, but he shouldn't have been in that area so I'm not too worried.
 
Robert, wasn't that stretch of 35W closed over the weekend for construction? When I was there I had to re-route to get to a few places because the northbound lanes of 35W were closed.

That is such a heavily-traveled route. And both the south and northbound lanes collapsed. I have 2 friends who get home via that route. I'm going to try making some calls.

Glad you're safe, Robert.
 
Robert glad to hear you are safe. Let us all know when you hear from Neal. I just got home and was watching tv and my wife said to switch channels. It is a very surreal situation that you would see in a disaster movie. our prayers go out to all the familes involved

Mike
 
Robert~

I was just about to email you about this..I am so glad you are at home safe.
Please post an update on Neal when he arrives home. How terrible this has happened!
My heart just goes out to these people,their loved ones and the citizens of Minneapolis/St Paul.
 
Neal just called he is at the gym and on his way home now.

How about our other Twin Cities members, everyone check in and let us know you are OK.
 
Glad you're ok Robert!

That must be horrifying not knowing what is going on with friends/family that travel that route.
 
I finally got through to my friend Robyn and while she's safe (went over the bridge about an hour before the collapse), her daughter takes that route and hasn't been heard from. She should have been home by now. Cell phones circuits are still jammed. I'm shaking.

This is too surreal. That's such a huge expanse of bridge laying in the water.
 
Glad to hear you're ok, Robert, as well as the other Minneapolis area members.

This is so reminiscent of the '89 quake damage in the SF Bay Area. I visited the Oakland freeway collapse site and it was truly an amazing scene of destruction. I picked up a 2 inch diameter steel rebar section about 1 foot long - it had been was bent into a very tight bend before it finally snapped. I slowly put it down.

I usually traveled that same elevated freeway structure at that hour. I just happened to have called in sick that day, and was listening to the baseball game on the radio at home when the quake hit.

Hope the rest of the Minnesota crew and company is ok.
 
Robert and Frigilux, I instantly thought of you both when I heard of this, and I stopped by here to make sure you guys were all right! Thank God that both of you are...and I pray your friends and loved ones will also prove to be safe and sound.

My prayers and best wishes go out to the people of the Twin Cities, that this catastrophe does not prove to be as deadly as it appears.

Imagine, an interstate highway bridge crumbling like that.
 
MINNEAPOLIS(AP) Then entire span of a four-lane interstate bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed during evening rush hour Wednesday, sending vehicles, tons of concrete and twisted metal crashing into the water.

The Interstate 35W bridge, which spans between Minneapolis and St. Paul, was under construction when it broke into several huge sections. Dozens of vehicles were scattered and stacked on top of each other amid the rumble.

A burning semi-truck and a school bus clung to one slanted slab, while an unknown number of vehicles were submerged.

Some people were stranded on parts of the bridge that aren't completely in the water.

Local television stations captured video of injured people being carried up the riverbank. There was no official word on injuries, but dozens of rescue vehicles were there. Divers were also in the water.
 
These are the posts I was looking for news of this truly scared me. Robert, Neal can pump those muscles another day:-) I will be watching the news for updates. After the hurricane our area code 504 cells were jammed for months. If anyone needs me to call a s/o or try a family members number I am willing, might or might not connect. E-mail me and I will be glad to try and call anyone for any of you effected by this. Arthur/alr2903
 
It does not span between Minneapolis and St. Paul, it spans between Downtown and the University area of Minneapolis.

I work about 1/2 mile from this bridge.
 
What an awful situation. You gotta wonder about all these old bridges and tunnels. Civil engineers have been been screaming about crumbling infrastructure for years. Hopefully, this will cause some examination of similar bridges.
 
Robert

Thanks for letting us know right off the bat that you and Neal avoided this catastrophe. I had that dreadful feeling
of powerlessness when I heard of this event. We can only hope and pray that in terms of serious injury and loss of life the
event will appear much worse than it turns out to be.
You better wash some dishes too!!!
Love Darrel
 

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