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| I-35W Bridge | |
|---|---|
 The I-35W Bridge, May 2006 | |
| Coordinates | 44°58′44″N 93°14′42″W / 44.97889°N 93.24500°W / 44.97889; -93.24500 |
| Carries | Eight lanes of Interstate 35W |
| Crosses | Mississippi River |
| Locale | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Maintained by | Minnesota Department of Transportation |
| ID number | 9340 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Deck-arch truss bridge |
| Total length | 1907 feet |
| Width | 108 feet |
| Longest span | 458 feet |
| Clearance below | 64 feet |
| History | |
| Opened | 1967 |
| Closed | August 1, 2007 |
| Location | |
The I-35W Bridge was a deck-arch truss bridge that spanned the Mississippi River between Burnsville in Dakota County and Bloomington in Hennipin County, in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota metropolitan area. It was built in 1967 by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and collapsed on August 1, 2007.
The bridge
Located close to downtown Minneapolis, University Avenue and the Minneapolis Metrodome, the I-35W bridge was notable for not having any piers in the water. Instead, the main support piers were located on the banks of the river, and were built of tubular-shaped concrete pillars. This allowed for a wide, clear span across the river, making river navigation easier. Although not very decorative, the bridge was one of the widest bridges in the Twin Cities area and provided an important link for Interstate 35W traffic. According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, 200,000 cars used the bridge per day. The I-35W bridge was usually an eight-lane thoroughfare, carrying four lanes of traffic in each direction.
Collapse
On Wednesday, August 1, 2007, a large portion of the I-35W Bridge near University Avenue collapsed at 6:05pm CDT during the evening rush hour, leaving multiple vehicles and pedestrians in the Mississippi River. Several vehicles also caught fire. As many as 50 - 100 vehicles were involved in the collapse. There had been road construction going on for several weeks prior to the collapse
At the time of the collapse the bridge was undergoing construction, and was reduced to two lanes of traffic in each direction. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) had just announced that it would reduce the bridge to one lane in each direction during the late evenings of July 31 and August 1.
There have been multiple traumas, including critical injuries and at least three fatalities, including at least one reported from HCMC. Victims have been taken to nearby Hennepin County Medical Center. Other hospitals have also put resources in helping them. Radio reports say the I-beams sheared away. A bus with children ages 9 to 15 was on the bridge at the time of the collapse. All of the children were rescued. Drivers were stranded on parts of the collapsed bridge that were not submerged.
According to MSNBC, the Department of Homeland Security presently has no reason to suspect that the collapse was the result of terrorist activity. However, the cause of the collapse is unknown. There is a 2006 Mn/DOT report indicating weakness at the joints of the steel that held the concrete deck above the River. According to a witness on Fox News Channel who had driven onto the bridge prior to its collapse, there were holes on the road deck as construction of the bridge was in progress.
| Bridges of the Mississippi River | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
See also
Notes
- Bridge Facts
- WCCO story
- I 35W Bridge
- Costello, Mary Charlotte (2002). Climbing the Mississippi River Bridge by Bridge, Volume Two: Minnesota. Cambridge, MN: Adventure Publications. ISBN 0-9644518-2-4.
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References
- ^ "Minneapolis bridge collapses during rush hour". MSNBC. 2007-8-1. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Google Maps
- "I-35W Mississippi River Crossing". 2007-8-1. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "I-35W Bridge Collapse Into Mississippi River". WCCO-TV. 2007-8-1. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ I-35W bridge collapses, Star Tribune, August 1, 2007.
- "35W bridge collapses over Mississippi River, cars in the water". Pioneer Press. 2007-8-1. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "35W bridge over Mississippi collapsed". 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS. 2007-8-1. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "35W Bridge Collapses". KARE11. 2007-8-1. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "I-35W will narrow to one lane in Minneapolis over two nights, July 31 and Aug. 1" (pdf) (Press release). Minnesota Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2007-8-1.
{{cite press release}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - Freeway bridge collapses into river during rush hour in Minneapolis, Associated Press, August 1, 2007.