The Associated Press:
MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 1) - An interstate bridge suddenly broke into huge sections and collapsed into the Mississippi River during bumper-to-bumper traffic Wednesday, killing at least six people and sending vehicles, tons of concrete, and twisted metal crashing into the river.
The New York Times:
A 2001 evoluation of the bridge, prepared for the state transportation department by the University of Minnesota Civil Engineering Department, reported that there were preliminary signs of fatigue on the steel truss section under the roadway, but no cracking. It said there was no need for the transportation department to replace the bridge because of fatigue cracking.
2001 Minnesota Department of Transportation "Fatigue Evaluation" of the bridge:
Mn/DOT does does not need to prematurely replace this bridge because of fatigue cracking, avoiding the high costs associated with such a large project.... fatigue cracking is not expected during the remaining useful life of the bridge....
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