Posted on 09/18/2008 7:09:07 AM PDT by MplsSteve
Honking their horns and stirring up faint clouds of post-construction dust, hundreds of drivers helped open the new Interstate 35W bridge this morning just a few minutes after 5 a.m.
The two processions -- one from the south end of the bridge, one from the north -- were led by representatives of agencies that were the first responders when the old bridge collapsed last year. They were followed by Minnesota Department of Transportation maintenance trucks with sturdy, wide bumpers that kept drivers in line.
Vehicles coming from the south were the first to make it across the 10-lane bridge, which was bathed in the bluish glow of its LED overhead lights.
Drivers and passengers waved at each other through windows and sunroofs as they cheered and snapped photos with cell phones and digital cameras.
Dozens of members of a University of Minnesota motorcycle club revved their engines, but the procession rarely went over 10 miles per hour.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
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No comment. And you can quote me.
The old bridge was in ill repair for years and the responsible Minnesota agency DID NOTHING to repair the old bridge. They spent the funds on mass transit. The old bridge collapsed. They are the culprits and should be put in prison.
Amazing what can be done for profit and government stays out of the way.
Pretty cool.
Anyone here drive on it yet? I work in Saint Paul so it’s a bit out of my way.
New rules need to be made for the spending of highway funds.
Politician's rarely are prosecuted and imprisoned for malfeasance. Note Fannie and Freddie. I do not see the United States as a strong nation any more. She is being raped by The Congress through the citizens wallets, bank and stock accounts.
This is a shame.
Typical political solution to a disaster caused by politician’s. Install sensors, add cost, tax and finger point.
@$$hole$.
How long did it take to rebuild and reopen this bridge? Can we extrapolate this to the length of time it shall take to reopen the World Trade Center in New York City?
Oh. That’s right. There is no INTENTION of reopening the World Trade Center.
Ever.
Islamic jihadists win.
Excellent.
At last! A bridge to somewhere! /snic
Someone told me yesterday that there was a $200,000,000 bonus for early completion, any truth to that?
I can’t say.
$27 Million
“$27 Million”, source for my friend if you can get it for me. They tend to be a person that doesn’t look very far for answers.
That deserves a serious investigation, I somehow feel we have been taken to the choo choo train again.
For the people who should have been over-seeing and safeguarding the public, I'm disgusted.
While we are extrapolating, how about how long it will take to drill a hole in the ground and pump some fluid out of that hole.
Does the new bridge have a name?
The 35W Bridge.
http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/27956264.html?elr=KArksUUUU
“If the bridge is completed by Sept. 16, it would be more than 100 days ahead of schedule. The contractors could earn a bonus of up to $27 million if the bridge opens by September 15.”
Thank heaven! Looks good too!
Was wondering why my commute was so much faster today!
I just drove across, it looks nice, more lanes. Glad it’s back.
That is not a name, it is a description. You would think that they would name it some sort of Memorial bridge.
There was critical chatter about building a “grand style” bridge and naming it after someone, probably a government bow wow. Instead, they got a plain bridge that works, ahead of schedule.
Yes, I drove to work and back home. It cut about 20 extra minutes off the travel time I have had to endure for the past year.
Nice!
Technically, it’s the Saint Anthony Falls bridge.
so i wonder why the Dakota (or is it Lakota) bridge is so far behind schedule. what caused all the delays with that?
Pun for y’all:
It’s a bridge, get over it.
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