Her new book details her experience healing from injuries sustained in the collapse, and her own. Brown was in shock minutes after the car she was in plunged 114 feet into the mississippi river after the interstate 35w bridge. It introduces the topic and points to sources for further research. The i35w mississippi river bridge was an eightlane, steel truss arch bridge that carried interstate 35w across the saint anthony falls of the mississippi river in minneapolis, minnesota, united states. In 1990, the federal government gave the i35w bridge a rating of structurally deficient, citing significant corrosion in its bearings. The fact that a bridge is deficient does not imply that it is likely to collapse or that it is unsafe. Root cause analysis solutions for the i35 bridge collapse. Ten years ago, the interstate 35w bridge over the mississippi river in downtown minneapolis collapsed, sending cars, trucks and even a school bus that were crawling over it in bumpertobumper rush. Victims of 35w bridge collapse continue to inspire. The busy interstate 35w bridge over the mississippi river in downtown minneapolis, minnesota, collapsed at the peak of rush hour on wednesday, august 1, 2007.
To mark the 10year anniversary of the i35w bridge collapse, city pages is reposting this story, originally published two weeks after the collapse. The investigation into the cause of the disaster took 16 months, with the final report being published on december 19, 2008. Apr, 2020 the i 35w bridge collapse is one of the few bridge collapses in the us over the past 50 years that has not had an obvious cause. Victims of 35w bridge collapse continue to inspire wcco. I35w bridge collapse structure and components and initial. Jul 31, 2007 the interstate 35w bridge over the mississippi river collapsed this evening, plunging dozens of vehicles into the water, killing seven people and injuring more than 60. On the day after the collapse of the i 35w bridge in minneapolis, aug. Professionalismurs and the i35 bridge wikibooks, open. Study of the i 35w highway bridge collapse mechanism miguel a. As of summer 2008, the cause of the i 35w bridge collapse remains under investigation, and the final reports have yet to be written.
The i 35w mississippi river bridge was built with a design flaw where a particular set of gusset plates in the u10 nodes were too thin. Some structural engineering experts have even suggested that up to 8000 us bridges are in need of remodeling. In fact, the minneapolis bridge was completed just a few months before the point pleasant bridge failure. The minnesota bridge collapse, 5 years later st anthony. The entire truss was recovered from the river to study the causes of failure. On the fourth anniversary of the bridge collapse, officials unveiled a memorial that features ibeams in tribute to those who died and a granite wall honoring the 171 survivors. Both the point pleasant and the minneapolis i 35w bridge had three spans that all fell together. A bridge shouldnt just fall down, senator amy klobuchar said after the august 1, 2007, collapse of the minneapolis i 35w eightlane steel truss bridge, which killed motorists, injured 145, and left a collective wound on the citys psyche and infrastructure. This is where debate between decision makers becomes constructive. Mar 28, 2020 after 16 months of waiting, we have the final verdict. This guide is compiled by staff at the minnesota legislative reference library on a topic of interest to state legislators. Jul 08, 2018 i 35w bridge collapse survivor writes riveting memoir. In that time, minnesota and other states have become more rigorous about inspecting and maintaining their bridges.
The bridges gusset plates, which connect the steel beams, were too thin and had been further stressed by the presence of nearly 300 tons of construction equipment and materials that had been stored on the bridge deck for ongoing repair work. What is the legacy of the 35w bridge collapse on minnesota. The bridge was owned by the federal government, and was operated and maintained by the state of minnesota. The past 10 years have garnered some positive changes in our nations bridges. It means they must be monitored, inspected and maintained. Mead cars in the mississippi river after the interstate 35w bridge collapsed wednesday, aug. Pedestrian bridge collapse over sw 8th street hwy18mh009 duration. Approximately 1,000 ft of the 1,907ftlong bridge fell to the water and ground, resulting in fatalities and 145 injuries, with 111 vehicles involved in the collapse. Washington investigators said monday that the interstate 35w bridge in minneapolis, which collapsed into the mississippi river on aug. Economic impacts of the i35w bridge collapse he i35w mississippi river bridge provided direct access to downtown minneapolis, the university of minnesota, area businesses and north suburban destinations for more than 140,000 vehicles each day.
It had a catastrophic failure during the evening rush hour on august 1, 2007, killing people and injuring 145. The i 35w bridge in minneapolis collapsed and bolander was contracted to remove the bridge components and piers to two feet below grade. I35w bridge collapse journal of bridge engineering vol. Its caused me nothing but heartburn ever since on the republican side and nothing but. The bridge is one of about 77,000 bridges in that category. Three major bridges collapsed in the united states that year. Minneapolis interstate 35w bridge collapse minnesota issues. Mead cars in the mississippi river after the interstate 35w. New 35w bridge memorial honors those who died and the. Cnnthere have been a number of deadly bridge collapses through the years, some due to structural deficiencies and others in collisions or accidents. Collapsed a survivors climb from the wreckage of the i35w bridge. The memorial is located off west river parkway, in minneapolis. The bridge opened in 1967 and was minnesotas third busiest, carrying 140,000 vehicles daily. Cnbc s michelle carusocabrera meets with one family that.
The incident garnered national attention and sparked conversation about road and. There was no known failure in the actual materials of the i 35w bridge many other factors played into the failure, but. The bridge was 1,907 feet long, had 14 spans, and by 2007 carried a daily average of 140,000 total vehicles north and south over four lanes between university avenue and washington avenue. Minneapolis wcco friday marks seven years since the i35w bridge in minneapolis collapsed, killing people and injuring 145 others. This work was conducted under the supervision of the ntsb national transportation and safety board, mndot bridge department and independent engineers. Aug 02, 2007 in 1990, the federal government gave the i 35w bridge a rating of structurally deficient, citing significant corrosion in its bearings. As a result, flaws in the i35w mississippi river bridge went undetected for 40 years until the weight of cars during rush hour traffic caused. I35 bridge collapse thinkreliability, case studies. The minneapolis bridge collapse in 2007 was a real awakening when it comes to the state of our infrastructure. The interstate highway bridge i 35w over the mississippi river in minneapolis, minnesota, collapsed suddenly at 6. Rybaks office said monday that no public event is planned for this aug.
The tragic collapse of the bridge caused substantial loss of life and injury. The ntsb cited a design flaw as the likely cause of the collapse, noting that a toothin. Failure in structural steels and overview of i35w bridge. South end of the i 35w bridge seen from west river parkway. Finding more causes of those fatalities may allow us to solve the issues that caused them. After the collapse, the bridge was lodged in the river where, under minnesota statute, the hennepin county. When excess weight was placed on the bridge over one of those u10 nodes, that node failed within 3 hours and 30 minutes. Minneapolis i35w bridge collapse failure case studies. Construction of the bridge began in 1964 by hurcon inc. The designers had specified a metal plate that was too thin to serve as a junction of several girders, investigators say. Friday marks 7 years since i35w bridge collapse wcco cbs. Kapil khandelwal, university of notre dame introduction research into the study of the collapse of steel bridges has become popular with the recent i35w bridge collapse in minneapolis, minnesota. Lessons learned from the 35w bridge collapse the current. To mark the 10year anniversary of the i 35w bridge collapse, city pages is reposting this story, originally published two weeks after the collapse.
Heres a look back at the 10 deadliest incidents in the last half century. Timeline internet resources articles books and reports. The memorial was revealed to the public on august 1, 2011, the fouryear anniversary of the collapse. New i 35w bridge wins national design honor the new interstate 35w bridge over the mississippi river has been named a project of the year by the. For example, if a ship hits a bridge, and the bridge comes down, that is pretty easy to figure out. The 35w bridge remembrance garden is a memorial commemorating the victims and survivors of the i 35w bridge collapse. A new book examines the i35w bridge collapse, 11 years later. On the day after the collapse of the i35w bridge in minneapolis, aug. The i 35w bridge over the mississippi river in minneapolis, minnesota, collapsed suddenly on august 1, 2007. Minneapolis bridge collapse lessons learned from the 35w. Minneapolis bridge collapse lessons learned from the 35w bridge collapse by sea stachura, minnesota public radio july 31, 2009 minneapolis its been two years since the collapse of the i 35w bridge in downtown minneapolis. A helicopter moves over the scene of the bridge collapse. Failure in structural steels and overview of i35w bridge collapse jack przywara, university of notre dame advisor.
What is the legacy of the 35w bridge collapse on minnesota politics and policy. Faulty design led to minnesota bridge collapse, inquiry. Deadliest bridge collapses in the us in the last 50 years. I35w bridge collapse survivor writes riveting memoir twin. Aug 01, 2007 12 years later, minnesotans reflect on the 35w bridge collapse 08012019 10. Structurally deficient means there are elements of the bridge that need to be monitored andor repaired. Aug 01, 2012 the i 35w saint anthony falls bridge subject of the may 2008 pm cover story was open to traffic months after its predecessors collapse, three months ahead of schedule. However, the last truly fatal major us bridge collapse occurred in 2007. Collapsed a survivors climb from the wreckage of the i35w. One other such collapse was the silver bridge over the ohio river on december 15, 1967. This note briefly summarizes an analysis based on original design drawings, an investigation of material evidence provided by the national transportation safety board ntsb, and a fullscale load rating of the bridge superstructure.
847 188 1130 479 382 1191 1639 1511 326 1279 875 274 582 866 746 1364 639 1333 1397 1324 198 891 1604 583 1492 985 1492 1128 285 2 1276 198 875 1090 746 174 89 97 410 573 312