COLLAPSE OF INTERSTATE 35 W BRIDGE MINNEAPPOLIS, MINNESOTA

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COLLAPSE OF INTERSTATE 35 W BRIDGEMINNEAPPOLIS,
MINNESOTA

• WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2007
• 605 PM

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MAP INTERSTATE BRIDGE COLLAPSE
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AERIAL VIEW OF BRIDGE COLLAPSE
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I-35 W BRIDGE COLLAPSE

• The eight-lane Interstate 35 W bridge collapsed
  during the evening rush hour on Wednesday, August
  1.
• Dozens of cars fell more than 20 m (60 feet) into
  the Mississippi River.
• Some cars fell on top of one another.

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I-35

• I-35 is a major traffic artery for Minneapolis.
• Approximately 141,000 vehicles cross the bridge
  every day, making it the states busiest route.

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I-35 W BRIDGE COLLAPSE

• Approximately 150 cars, trucks, and a school bus
  carrying 55 children were lined up in
  bumper-to-bumper traffic on the bridge when it
  collapsed.
• Miraculously, only 8 were killed and 100 were
  injured.
• All 55 children on the bus survived.

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CONCEPTUAL SKETCH OF I-35 SYSTEM
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NIGHT OF THE COLLAPSE AUGUST 1, 2007
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AERIAL VIEW OF BRIDGE COLLAPSE
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AERIAL VIEW OF BRIDGE COLLAPSE
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AERIAL VIEW OF BRIDGE COLLAPSE
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AERIAL VIEW OF BRIDGE COLLAPSE
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AERIAL VIEW OF BRIDGE COLLAPSE
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THE COLLAPSE
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THE COLLAPSE
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THE COLLAPSE
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THE COLLAPSE
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BRIDGE COLLAPSE
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THE COLLAPSE
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A LOT OF CARS AWAITING REMOVAL
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BUS WITH 52 PASSENGERS CAUGHT IN THE COLLAPSE
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REMOVAL OF CAR CAUGHT IN THE COLLAPSE
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REMOVAL OF BUS CAUGHT IN THE COLLAPSE
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EMERGENCY VEHICLES AT SITE OF BRIDGE COLLAPSE
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SEARCH AND RESCUE ENCOUNTERS PROBLEMS

• Emergency response was quick.
• But, search and rescue operations were hindered
  from the outset by night fall, the instability of
  the underwater debris and the strong currents in
  the river.
• Divers from the Navy and the FBI were called in
  to assist local experts.
• Small submarines were called in later.

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EMERGENCY WORKERS AT SITE OF BRIDGE COLLAPSE
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EMERGENCY WORKERS ASSISTING INJURED
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PRESIDENT BUSH ON MARINE 1 SATURDAY, AUGUST 4
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PRESIDENT BUSH SATURDAY, AUGUST 4
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NAVY DIVERS ASSESS SITUATION AUGUST 7
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NAVY DIVERS AUGUST 7
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CAUSE OF BRIDGE COLLAPSE

• At present, the cause of the collapse is unclear
  and may remain so for several months due to the
  difficulty in examining elements of the bridge
  now underwater and surrounded by debris.
• The answer requires examining the specific place
  on the bridge where the failure began.
• The initial thinking is that the collapse is
  related to design deficiencies exacerbated by
  fatigue related to the age of the bridge and the
  heavy traffic load.

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MANDATED INSPECTIONS
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INSPECTORS LOOKING AT GUSET OF COLLAPSED BRIDGE
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PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNS LEGISLATION TO REBUILD
BRIDGE

• On Monday, August 6, President Bush signed
  legislation authorizing 250,000 to rebuild
  the bridge.
• Congress still must appropriate the funds.

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CONGRESS MUST ADDRESS USAS INFRASTRUCTURE

• The I-35 disaster is an urgent reminder that the
  USAs interstate highway system (including
  bridges) is 50 years old in some locations.
• Earlier inspections have indicated that 2,000
  bridges, INCLUDING THIS ONE, are in need of
  repair.
• The system is highly stressed In 1955, the
  interstate system carried 65 million cars and
  trucks.
• Today, the annual load has increased to 246
  million cars and trucks.