Bridge collapse

ChrisK · Post by **ChrisK** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:33 am

Somebody's got to start this thread, though we're all probably inundated with this. I hope everyone on the board is OK!

Can't Never Tried · Post by **Can't Never Tried** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:50 am

Not a bad idea....I'm OK

and at this point I don't now anyone effected other then a co-workers niece was on the bus.

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:06 am

I went to the game last night. I live in the west metro, so I came in on 394 and then took 4th street to the dome. I've worked in downtown in the past, and had obviously seen police, fire, and ambulance naviagte through before, it's usally swiftly, but cautiously because of pedestrians. Last night was something else... there were probably 7 or 8 cops that blew past us (one towing a boat), and they were all doing what must've been 45-50 MPH. At that point I still didn't know what was going on though - I managed to put 2 and 2 together to come to the conclusion that it probably wasn't good.

Finally parked the car and was waiting at the crosswalk by the lightrail and asked the traffic cop working the corner what was going on and he finally told us. At that point we hustled into the dome to get near a tv. We probably get in there about 6:20, and at the time it wasn't on the tv's in the concourse, so we went into the season ticket holder's club room, and watched the tv in there. I usually end up in there for a while before most games I go to, but last night was the biggest gathering I'd seen in there - which was interesting because it was one of the smaller crowds at a game I've seen this year. We could also see the smoke from the fire coming up from there out the windows. By the time we left the club room at about 6:50, they had the news playing on the concorse tv's, so there were big crowds gathered all around those.

As far as the game itself, it was pretty eerie when they turned off all of the scoreboards for a "moment of prayer" before the game started - it gets pretty dark in there when those go off. I ended up leaving after the 6th inning (during a tie game) because I wasn't really paying attention anyway - I was just browsing the web for news on my phone the whole time. I also started to find myself getting more-and-more agitated watching adults stuffing their faces full of ice cream and hot dogs and mugging for the "jumbotron". Kids are one thing, but I thought adults with a conscience may have a little more restraint. I don't know if that was right or wrong, but for some reason it was really bothering me last night.

packerboy · Post by **packerboy** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:09 am

I go across that bridge a lot.

Not everyday but frequently.

I dont know anyone effected by this so far but I can only imagine how difficult it must be for those that have been.

How does somehting like this happen in this day and age?

Build the damn things with a huge pillar every 10 feet.

Neutron 14 · Post by **Neutron 14** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:02 am

I went across it northbound about 3PM.

Boofin unbelievable. I maybe could believe Mississippi or Arkansas, but here?

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:20 am

How's this for an eerie story from The Onion?

Can't Never Tried · Post by **Can't Never Tried** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:46 am

Govs93 wrote:How's this for an eerie story from The Onion?

Man..... if the victims read that I'd expect they'd be really pissed off..Take the friggin money now would ya!! before someone else dies...after all Pride is one of the 7 deadly sins.

Close one there huh? Neut....

HShockeywatcher · Post by **HShockeywatcher** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:48 am

Just curious what traffic and life is in the cities at the moment?

HShockeywatcher · Post by **HShockeywatcher** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:54 am

Those aren't actual quotes from our governor, are they?

They got on CNN and explained how of the 40% of bridges nationwide that need repair in the near future, only 3% of MN bridges do.

Neutron 14 · Post by **Neutron 14** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:07 pm

Can't Never Tried wrote: Close one there huh? Neut....

Could have been worse. Was at the Music Box Theatre trying to buy tickets. They told me the box office didn't open till 5:30. I asked if there was anywhere else I could get tickets, and was told the State Theatre was open. I went there to get my tickets. If I had to wait until 5:30.....

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:15 pm

HShockeywatcher wrote:Just curious what traffic and life is in the cities at the moment?

I had the day off work today (was going to the Twins game & groundbreaking... oh well), so I haven't been out yet, but the news reports are saying that it wasn't really all that bad. The alternate route they're using is highway 280 which runs north-south from Roseville to St. Paul near the river. It's got a couple of stop lights but they just set them to remain green and closed off access to most of the streets you can enter/exit from, so they've essentially turned it into a freeway, and it seems to be working. 280 is used quite a bit to get into and out of the State Fair though, so I wonder how they'll adapt to that, because they usually get what - 1.2 million people or so to the Fair over 2 weeks?

I have to go visit my mom today - she's in the east metro, I'm in the west. I would normally go through downtown, but I won't be doing that - I'll go around on 494 to the south instead.

Neutron 14 · Post by **Neutron 14** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:32 pm

HShockeywatcher wrote:Those aren't actual quotes from our governor, are they?

Its The Onion. Think of it as Update on SNL.

pacman · Post by **pacman** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:36 pm

My Brother just got off of that part of the bridge literally minutes before the Bridge Collapsed. Scary Stuff he said it felt like an earthquake had hit.

ChrisK · Post by **ChrisK** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:45 pm

Just so noone takes those quotes from the Onion seriously, the Onion is a satirical newspaper. Sometimes satire hits a little too close to home...

Glad to see familiar posters reporting in, as far as I know noone I know was involved. I had to work last night till 10 and it was tough. I think I kind of felt like Govs93 at the game, it seemed like there were more important things than work at the moment.

I have a meeting over on the West Bank today and have to run some errands prior to it so I'll be taking my car. It'll be interesting to see how much it's blocked off around there. I live just off of 280 and I know they've wanted to get rid of those stop lights, it sounds like this will take care of it. I think people will cope fine for awhile, but we have to do this for at least two years. I suspect things will get uglier than normal when we get our first snowfall.

HShockeywatcher · Post by **HShockeywatcher** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:54 pm

I've read the Onion before, but how could they be making fun of it so soon after it happened?

I have family in St Cloud, so I'll just head there on my way to the cities or Duluth from the other, but is there a different way to get around if you wanna go from way north to way south or vise versa?

Can't Never Tried · Post by **Can't Never Tried** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:58 pm

HShockeywatcher wrote:I've read the Onion before, but how could they be making fun of it so soon after it happened?

I have family in St Cloud, so I'll just head there on my way to the cities or Duluth from the other, but is there a different way to get around if you wanna go from way north to way south or vise versa?

It was dated Feb. 05

Try a Hot air balloon

HShockeywatcher · Post by **HShockeywatcher** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:41 pm

I didn't read the date, thought it was in response.

Anyone with any real answers? I'm curious how to get up and down the state now.

power92 · Post by **power92** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:13 pm

HShockeywatcher wrote:I didn't read the date, thought it was in response.

Anyone with any real answers? I'm curious how to get up and down the state now.

How about trying a MAP? Maybe MapQwest if that's too hard. I'm sure you will find better answers there.

Still at it I see.

tomASS · Post by **tomASS** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:28 pm

Garage Logic would dictate that you will have to make a move.

Neutron 14 · Post by **Neutron 14** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:36 pm

HShockeywatcher wrote:I didn't read the date, thought it was in response.

Anyone with any real answers? I'm curious how to get up and down the state now.

Ask this guy. I'm thinking hell tell you where to go when you come to the fork in the road!

ChrisK · Post by **ChrisK** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:04 pm

Just got back. They've got the 10th Street bridge blocked off to traffic, word is that it'll be closed for a few days. Basically they've got any kind of access to the site blocked off for understandable reasons, West River Road is also blocked in various parts. Getting to the Dome from the east and northeast in particular might require some patience--or checking out maps of northeast Minneapolis for alternate routes.

Traffic on Cedar and Washington was very heavy. Traffic around the U was generally heavy--and school doesn't start till after Labor Day.

HSHWatcher, to make it easy for you, 35W is blocked from the intersections of highway 280 to I-94 so traffic is being routed through those highways. Depending on where you're coming from your best bet is to avoid that area altogether using 35E, 494 or 694.

HShockeywatcher · Post by **HShockeywatcher** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:09 pm

Wow, you guys really like to take something that's not a big deal and run with it. I will be going through St Cloud as I have family there when I go back to Duluth, where I live, so it won't be an issue for me at all. I was just curious as many of you seem to be a little older than I and probably have driven the roads a few more years. Just thought I'd ask. But if making fun of something that wasn't anything to make fun of assumes you, I'm glad I could help you have a good time.

Neutron 14 · Post by **Neutron 14** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:13 pm

Until you come to the fork in the road....

Who would of thought the Twin Cities would EVER become a national news cycle.

Can't Never Tried · Post by **Can't Never Tried** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:00 pm

HShockeywatcher wrote:Wow, you guys really like to take something that's not a big deal and run with it. I will be going through St Cloud as I have family there when I go back to Duluth, where I live, so it won't be an issue for me at all. I was just curious as many of you seem to be a little older than I and probably have driven the roads a few more years. Just thought I'd ask. But if making fun of something that wasn't anything to make fun of assumes you, I'm glad I could help you have a good time.

Listen here Circletwerp! no one here is making fun of what happened on that bridge, many of us are still worrying about friends and loved ones that may still be involved, and your worries about how to get thru from north to south when really your going to St. Cloud makes no sense...so in case you don't quite get it yet the fun's being poked at you

and for yet again making assumptions and asking dumb questions...and talking to yourself!

Happy now?

HShockeywatcher · Post by **HShockeywatcher** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:08 pm

what are assumtions?