We’re all OK here. My 10-year-old daughter very likely crossed that bridge yesterday…her daycare went on a field trip to Richfield. We were all at home when it happened, though.
I’ve actually been avoiding I-35W ever since I rear-ended someone on that road two months ago and totaled my car. (No one was injured, luckily.) That’s also the last time I drove over that bridge. I never thought that would be the last day I would drive that car, but I really never ever thought that it would be the last time I would drive over that bridge.
I used to live right along the river (near the I-694 bridge) and we saw plenty of mice, but no rats. However, my husband used to work in the bookstore in the “Dinkydome” near the U, and he said that place was quite rat-infested. The U itself is overrun with fluffy-tailed rats–I mean squirrels.
Re: lack of ferry service: Actually, the very first bridge over the Mississippi was built very near the I-35W bridge. It was built in 1855 where the Hennepin Avenue bridge is now. There are actually plenty of other bridges in that area, but they are not big eight-lane highway bridges. The I-94 bridge is where I would expect most of the traffic to go.
I wonder if that Mythbusters episode where Adam showed how to escape from a car that goes into the water saved a few lives.
Any other Minnesota Dopers annoyed by the fact that NPR keeps calling it the “I-35 bridge” or the “I-35 West bridge”? The name of that highway is actually Interstate 35W. Interstate 35 splits into 35W (to go through Minneapolis) and 35E (to go through St. Paul. You’d think that the Minnesota Public Radio people would straighten them out.
And why not. NY leads the nation in infrastructure decay, probably because it was the first place to have any infrastructure (a good bit of which is still in service due to the tremendous inconvenience and inefficiency of shutting any of it down for repairs).
If any other Dopers happen to be among the several dozen regular viewers of MSNBC, they may have seen last night’s segment where Dan Abrams took a bridge engineer on a look-see over the 1932 Pulaski Skyway, not far from their North Jersey studios, which carries a mutha load of traffic. The expert’s verdict was that if something isn’t done about all the rust and crumble, they could soon have a Pulaski Dam.
There are more horrific pictures on there, but this one just really made me stop and stare. An everyday environment totally thrown off kilter. And those skid marks at the upper left. Looks like a vehicle clipped the rear of that white car, then you can see where the skid marks stop as the front of the car went over the edge and the rear wheels lifted up. And I don’t see the car responsible on the lower section of deck.
I saw an interview yesterday with one couple who went in the water in their Jeep, but credited being alive by the fact that just before the bridge collapsed, they’d opened a window. It does make me want to always drive across bridges with my windows open now!
Next time Ramsey County comes out to do their dive training, I’m going to bring cookies for them. They use our pool (Hamline University) to do their training once or twice a month in cooler weather.
I’m pretty sure all those guys are on the job right now…
News has been saying that the divers have been having problems reaching some vehicles because of the strong currents, even after the CoE has lowered the river. As Rysdad says, new islands have a way of doing that.
it was a scurrying animal, zipped across the bridge behind her. it looked like a rat profile. too big for squirrel or mouse (too little for moose).
was the depth a lot higher or a bit higher before the locks and dams?
i’m reading rising tide right now. got it in st. louis over the weekend. it is odd to see this bridge collapse when i was reading the bit on the building of ead’s bridge.
i did see abrams piece yest. i gotta admit i trust the ben franklin over the other bridges in phila. they do tons of maintance on that bridge. it is constant.
rocking chair, what are you talking about? Scurrying animal? Rat, squirrle, moose?! Where can this be seen? Following who? Rising tide? Please, take the time to compose a post that is coherent if not punctuated and capitalized correctly? ETA: You ok? It’s almost as if you’re posting while extremely low on sleep, or maybe after having too much fun out with friends? But it’s not late night yet.
There are more cars under water than what has been released. Not empty cars either, unfortunately. The MPD is keeping a tight rein on info and, after requesting assistance from neighboring police departments, changed their collective mind.
The friend in the MPD has been there for all but 12 hours since Wednesday. Neighboring restaurants are bringing some food in, but many cops/firefighters/divers are subsisting on granola bars and water. Close up it’s quite hellish.
Thanks. I’m left wondering about their referance to an animal scurrying after a mysterious “her” though. Is that visible on video of the bridge collapse somewhere, or is it in referance to something else.
sorry zabali clawbane, the scampering animal was in reference to an up thread animal sighting.
contessa from msnbc was reporting from a spot near the collapsed bridge when the mystery beast scampered behind her.
i should have put in names to reference what i was responding to. and yes, i did go to sleep after, i was up for about 22 hours at that point.
i thought rat… others weren’t sure. muskrat sounds like a winner. didn’t even think of that wee beastie. it fits the silhouette perfectly. thanks, squink!
and yes carnivorousplant , it is a fantastic book. very interesting.
it does seem odd that the mighty miss. that most of the country is used to is not so mighty in minn. do y’all call her the little (or minny) miss up there?
Is that visible on video of the bridge collapse somewhere, or is it in referance to something else.