Bridge collapses in Minnesota

[cassiesmom]

The bridge collaspe tragedy in Minneapolis have a lot of people in Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh government worried about our bridges. Pittsburgh has the nickname of "The city of bridges" due to the fact that there are three major rivers in the Pittsburgh area. A lot of them are older than the bridge that collasped. There are crews out looking at and inspecting bridges. It could happen here, too.

Mayor Daley ordered inspections of bridges and viaducts in Chicago, and I believe Gov. Blagojevich has ordered inspections to be done on all bridges in Illinois. Daley has gone on the radio to say that chicago's bridges are very safe, routinely inspected and maintained. The thing about Chicago is that there's no one bridge that functions as a main artery in the same way the 35W bridge does up in Minneapolis. We've had a few scary mishaps with trucks and buses running into viaducts on main streets, though.

[IRescue452]

Mayor Daley ordered inspections of bridges and viaducts in Chicago, and I believe Gov. Blagojevich has ordered inspections to be done on all bridges in Illinois. Daley has gone on the radio to say that chicago's bridges are very safe, routinely inspected and maintained.

I think they are doing a very good job at a quick cover up so people forget about what could happen. Keep in mind, this bridge that collapsed was regularily inspected and maintained as well.

[Catty1]

I heard a very interesting comment from an engineer here in Calgary(or Canada somewhere) - he said that when a car dealership sells a car, you get a maintenance manual to go with it, with a schedule in it.

However, millions of dollars go into bridges - and there is NO manual or maintenance standards provided by the designers and manufacturers! He said it was like, "Build it and forget about it."

He thought that attitude just WRONG - and I agree.

[Catlady711]

I feel for anyone that was injured in that collapse, and pray for the families affected by it.

Apparently this particular bridge had been noted twice during inspections of being 'structurally deficient" in some manner, at least so CNN says whatever that's worth.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/08/02/bri...rss_topstories


As far as terrorism goes... I'm not going to live my life in fear everytime something happens whether by nature or by human means. When God calls my number then it's time for me to go, nothing I can do about it so why worry about what I can't control? Fear just kills the joy of life and life is too short to worry about all the potential 'what if's' we can't control. For all I know an airplane will have an engine failure and fall out of the sky on my house after I post this. Does that mean I should fear every airplane that flies overhead? No, I just go on with life and leave my future in God's hands.

I think the media is quick to point a finger at anything that will gain hype and viewers. Believe only half of what you hear and be suspect of the rest.

[lizbud]

I heard a very interesting comment from an engineer here in Calgary(or Canada somewhere) - he said that when a car dealership sells a car, you get a maintenance manual to go with it, with a schedule in it.

However, millions of dollars go into bridges - and there is NO manual or maintenance standards provided by the designers and manufacturers! He said it was like, "Build it and forget about it."

He thought that attitude just WRONG - and I agree.

If that guy is an engineer, he should know that city & state engineers
always have a blueprint of the structure & have available to them, other
info on building materials & maintinence schudules based on lifspan of the
bridge.The city & state personel should be able to maintain it safely.

It's only when the politics get involved & money to fund proper inspections
and rebuilding ,is spent elsewhere.