I guess I should mention we're all fine.
So how about that headline up there? The bridge that collapsed wasn't unsafe? It hasn't just been progressives saying that this country's infrastructure is terrible, but wasn't there also some investigative report on the local news a few years ago predicting this very event?
Unfortunately they're going to rebuild it as a freeway. It's not like when the Embarcadero and the Central Freeway in San Francisco collapsed twenty years ago; they were able to scrap those unnecessary freeways and turn them into functional streets and public space.
By the way, here is a list of bridge disasters, you know, for context, in case you were planning on postponing any baseball games or comparing anything to September 11 (it's already started - MInnesotans are some of the dumbest people I've met).
Comments (6)
"MInnesotans are some of the dumbest people I've met"?
I like your blog and all, but let's just hope this isn't true. There's a whole, big dumb world out there, and you need to get out more.
Posted by Bill | August 2, 2007 2:56 PM
Posted on August 2, 2007 14:56
1. If you don't want a freeway, mobilize some people quick. Citizens can actually do stuff. Boston and Portland stopped freeways and San Fran and NY got rid of them (during collapeses)
2. if they do rebuild the bridge there, at least get santiago calatrava to design the new one...
This may sound morbid, but J and I were trying to guess how many degrees of seperation we'd be from someone on the bridge. So far it's a friends-friends-girlfriend (she's ok by the way). It's kind of crazy how small Mpls is when you think about it.
Glad your ok.
Posted by zakcq | August 2, 2007 4:06 PM
Posted on August 2, 2007 16:06
Glad the fam is okay. Sorry I tied up airwaves in my frantic call to be assured of your safety.
Posted by elizabeth | August 2, 2007 4:18 PM
Posted on August 2, 2007 16:18
Obviously I haven't met everybody. That's why they're some of the dumbest people I've ever met instead of all of the dumbest people anywhere. I'm not sure why you like my blog (I don't really like it all that much) but I do like yours, Bill.
I don't think there's anything that can be done regarding the freeway. It's still freeway on both sides of the river, and you can't really connect that with with anything other than a freeway bridge. San Fran lost the whole highway, not just a 300 foot long bridge.
Posted by ryan | August 2, 2007 11:22 PM
Posted on August 2, 2007 23:22
I love the freeway removal project in S.F. I was there this spring, and walking around down by the embarcadero is so lovely now. It's almost impossible to imagine a raised interstate existing there.
Same thing goes for the Big Dig in Boston, despite the Bechtel-fueled overruns. The North End area is part of the city again.
I'd like to see freeways bite the dust in NYC, too, by the way. But it's impossible to imagine anything like happening here in the suburban Twin Cities. Probably have a lot more luck turning Ayd Mill road in St. Paul into a park.
PS Your blog is great. I love being able to read a bus driver's perspective.
PPS Also, I heard a bridge engineer talking on MPR today about how great (cheap and strong) 'cable stay' bridges are. That's the kind of bridge that calatrava designed, and it very well might be what they build in place of the current rubble heap.
PPPS For some reason, I just keep thinking about what an asshole Robert Moses was.
Posted by Bill | August 3, 2007 12:29 AM
Posted on August 3, 2007 00:29
"We need a bridge, Call Calatrava"..... He's like the batman of bridge building. Also he's designed the same thing over and over for the last 10 years which I believe puts him in his "high" period. Which is usally when minneapolis steps in to get a designer at about the 16th minute.
Hoosiers are dumber by the way, and also 50% of the british also without all that minnesota nice...
Posted by calatrava hater | August 4, 2007 1:35 PM
Posted on August 4, 2007 13:35