Posted on 08/27/2007 8:32:49 AM PDT by jim_trent
I just got an invite to the Midwestern ITE conference. It is being held in West Des Moines, IA this year on September 26th, 27th, and the morning of the 28th.
A person from the MNDOT was scheduled to speak there before the I-35W collapse. They are planning to have him tentatively discuss the collapse instead of his originally planned topic.
I will try to attend and, if so, let everyone know what he says.
There will also be a breakout session on Red Light Cameras which should be interesting.
Minnesota takes in enough revenue from fuel taxes to build a new 35W bridge EVERY FOUR MONTHS.
Remember that MNDOT does not make the decision on that. It is the politicians elected by the MN voter who makes that decision.
And it sounds from what I have read that the politicians have made it abundantly clear that anyone employee who opposes them on this will end up inspecting the insides of I-35W girders that are filled with pigeon poop for the rest of their career.
ping
Why do you want to break red light cameras? I do too—but that is not very professional of you to go to a meeting to study breaking cameras.
Just venting.
Thanks for the ping, Jim. I’m very much interested in whatever light the MnDOT guy can shed on the collapse.
I’m wrestling with some additional information raised by the post collapse imagery, but at a brick wall.
I think I’m going to post it anyway, as speculation, in the hopes that someone else can find the key that identifies critical members, because I’ve taken it as far as I am able to without success.
The pictures are ready, maybe later this week.
Thanks for the heads up.
Thanks for taking this on, Jim. We’ll be eagerly awaiting your report.
A better point to mention is that the state of Minnesota, Hennepin County, and the city of Minneapolis have spent something like $1 billion (twice the cost of replacing the I-35W bridge) on stupid sports stadiums less than a mile from where this bridge stood.
You might want to let them know that the first time I hear/see ITE calling for fuel tax hikes to pay for bridge repairs will be the last time I renew my ITE membership.
Again, MnDOT is not likely to have any say whatsoever about sports stadiums. The politicians decide that. Whatever is left over after they satisfy their spending urges is allowed to be used for bridge replacement/repair and other “unimportant” duties.
I used to live in Minnesota — nearly 30 years ago. At that time, they pushed through a white elephant stadium in downtown Minneapolis to replace the one where the Mall of America now stands. From memory, we the people of Minnesota voted three times NOT to spend tax money on that stadium. The people were overruled by their elected officials.
I suspect that this new stadium that is being talked about is to replace the one that replaced the one I remember. I also suspect that none of the elected officials who forced this down the taxpayers throats were voted out of office (if they ran). I don’t know about that for sure, since I moved out of state in 1979.
Right. Keep in mind that I’ve refrained from criticizing MnDOT here. My ire is directed at the political leadership in Minnesota as well as the citizens who refuse to hold those elected officials accountable.
I got back from the meeting. The presentation by the MNDot guy was totally worthless for the questions we are asking. His talk was exclusively on how they acted to re-route traffic and how the various agencies (such as police, fire, etc) co-operated to re-route traffic.
Actually, they just used the standard plan for when an overturned truck closes the Interstate. The flashing message boards over the Interstate told people to seek alternate routes within 5 minutes of their learning about the collapse. The only real difference is that instead of lasting a few hours to a few days, this is going to last a long time.
No question and answer period. We will still have to wait for answers.
Figures.
Do you have any idea what the color coding that inspectors spray on areas of the bridge mean?
Areas have been spray painted, red, orange and green. Some of the very places I pointed out with our bridges are now spray painted.
There will be a press conference today announcing interim findings of the cause of the bridge collapse. FYI!
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