Bridge collapse report critical of transportation agency

Source: Minneapolis Star Trib

A legislative report on the collapse of the Minneapolis freeway bridge concluded that money concerns may have led to bad decisions about maintenance of the bridge.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/local/19133569.html?location_refer=Homepage

This may explain why Minneapolis Mayor Rybak looked resolute right after the bridge collapse, and Pawlenty looked SCARED.

Source: Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Money worries may have led to bad maintenance decisions for the Minneapolis bridge that collapsed and killed 13 people last August, a report released Wednesday concluded.

The report, commissioned by the Legislature, also criticized the Minnesota Department of Transportation for bridge inspections that were mishandled or not acted upon over the years, even when they called for immediate repairs.

The department has come under sharp criticism for its upkeep of the 40-year-old bridge, even as an ongoing federal investigation has highlighted a design flaw and the weight of construction materials, rather than maintenance, as critical factors.

"Financial considerations, we believe, did play a part in the decision-making" repair of the bridge, said Robert Stein, who oversaw the report prepared for lawmakers by the law firm Gray Plant Mooty.

"Sometimes it's easier just to take the least expensive alternative or just commission another study," Stein said.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BRIDGE_COLLAPSE?SITE=MOCOD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-05-21-17-29-25

Our country has always valued "tax cuts" over prudent maintenance. We have many dolts who only look at the bottom line. They won't agree to pay a cent for maintenance until the bottom falls out....and then, of course, it's some one else's fault!

You just summed up the Republican mindset. :applause:

Grover Norquist on last Wednesday’s Colbert Report was funny yet disturbing. I just don’t understand the anti-tax, anti-government movement. Have they actually thought through their philosophy? Norquist could only come up with police and military as services the government should provide. Really? That’s it? Colbert nailed Grover on an obvious one, roads, and it didn’t even phase him. Do they think we would have the Interstate System if the government didn’t build it?

http://oyveyblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/20/grover-norquist-the-colbert-report-comedy-central-video/

...it would secure their political future if a taxpayer kept 12 or 15 bucks.
and so the damn bridge goes down.


it's just fortunate that construction had it down to one lane in each direction. if it had been all three lanes in each direction.....what a bloody catastrophe that would have been.

What makes us locals' knees shake is that we ALL used that bridge at one time or another. Could have been any of us....

but you know no one will be held responsible....

in Iraq so we can spend taxpayer's dollars to repair bridges in Iraq. Yes George, you are an idiot.

A picture of the collapsed bridge with just a 3 word caption: "Tax cuts kill"