Just heard about this - anyone from or know people in Minneapolis?
Hope there're no fatalities or serious injuries, but seeing the photo on CNN I can't imagine how there couldn't be :(

Latest update say 3 dead and upwards of 50 or more injured so far. Let's offer a moment of prayer or silence for those who died and hope that number doesn't climb much higher.

Fortunately the pictures look like the roadway did not completely submerge, which probably saved many lives.

Reports also indicate a school bus with 20-30 children was on the bridge but stopped before going over the collapsed sections as it fell. Thanks for small miracles...

This happened just a few miles from where I live. Fortunately, it is off my regular route and I was home by the time it happened. I have driven over that bridge often. Still processing the information. Last I heard, it is up to seven deaths. From what I see on TV, it is amazing it isn't worse.

I certainly don't want to turn this political and it is of course too early to know what really happened, but the state has been really cheap about keeping up the infrastructure. I pray that isn't what happened here. There was a repair crew resurfacing the road as it happened. They seem to have been taken by surprise as much as anyone.

The ENTIRE US' infrastructure is cheaply maintained. They wait for stuff like this to happen before they go and inspect the older stuff.

I live in DC(just outside) and the bridges are a mass of potholes as well as most all streets.

Something that's come out this morning: The bridge was inspected two years ago and given a rating of 50%, "structurally deficient." Apparently there are a number of bridges around the country with the same rating. Let's hope they look at them a little more closely.

There are thousands of bridges in the US deemed structurally "obsolete". The state of Washington, where I live, passed a gas tax a year or two ago, with the money earmarked exactly for this type of stuff.

There are thousands of bridges in the US deemed structurally "obsolete". The state of Washington, where I live, passed a gas tax a year or two ago, with the money earmarked exactly for this type of stuff.

You're confusing two ratings - "structurally deficient," meaning repairs are needed, and "functionally obsolete," meaning the bridge can't handle the current traffic load in the area.

As much as I hate paying taxes, I don't think we're taxed enough to cover the expenses of maintaining our ageing infrastructure.

Things like this have a expected lifespan. Its foreseeable, but not adequetly planned for. Its put off for as long as possible and then takes something like this to get people to act.

Unfortunatly, we pay the price.

While tradgic, it amuses/irratates me that all of a sudden inspections are called for on all bridges of similiar design.
This is more of a PR thing to offer the image of action.
When in fact, this is due to inaction of past inspections.

In the end, this will result in a better system - that we'll have to pay HIGHER taxes for than if we were taxed for this over the last 50 years.

Too bad we don't have an extra, say 450 billion dollars lying around to improve the infrastructure.

What I find very ironic is that in the St. Louis area, we have a bunch of 100-150 year old bridges that are in better shape than most bridges that are less than 50 years old...

Ok, to simplify, there are thousands of bridges in the US that are piles of junk and need immediate repair before something like this happens again. Is that better?

You're confusing two ratings - "structurally deficient," meaning repairs are needed, and "functionally obsolete," meaning the bridge can't handle the current traffic load in the area.

The same day the I-35 bridge collapsed, I saw workmen started some maintenance work on the I-135 Overpass in Wichita. If this bridge came down, there would not be a soft landing because there is no water below.

The collapse of this bridge is tragic, but, mabey as a result of it, bridges will be better maintained in the future...