Bridge collapse

[Carole]

Bridge Collapse

This bridge is very near where I live. I go across it all the time. Please keep the people who ended up in the water in your prayers.

Carole

 

[IAMAMRA]

A friend of mine was on it 5 minutes before...

 

[Counter]

Weird, this was reported on the breakfast news I am watching at exactly the same time I read this post!

 

[Carole]

It appears at this point that an oversize, overweight truck might possibly have hit the bridge closing it to collapse. From what they said on the news other drivers had to make the truck pull over as either it didn't realize it hit the bridge, or it was just going to try to get away. They did say that if the truck was found liable for the damage, the trucking company would have to pay to rebuild the bridge. I do hope they have massive insurance. This is going to make it very hard for people to get from where I live down to Seattle. Many people have to cross that bridge every day to get to work. They will now have to get off the I-5 at one of the exits and then take the back roads which is going to cause a lot of congestion. They said it could take months possibly a year to get the bridge rebuilt.

Carole

 

[JustinD]

Myself and other family members who live in Seattle and Bellingham too use that stretch of I-5 all the time. I just drove over that bridge yesterday morning!

 

[IsamuM]

I saw this on the news here in Japan, but they didn't mention that it was I-5. That's going to cause a boatload of congestion until it's rebuilt.

 

[Lurker]

Carole, luckily nobody died, but it takes a lot more than one heavy truck hitting a bridge to make it collapse. The bridge got a low sufficiency rating (instated after that collapse in... what was it, Oklahoma? Minnesota?) that was significantly lower than state average.
The truck might have triggered the collapse but even in that case I don't think it's fair if the trucking company has to pay for it. Unless that truck was pulling three Abrams tanks or something like that :smile: It'd be like letting your house decay and then demanding that the unlucky visitor who closes the front door too hard has to pay for rebuilding it after it collapses.
If it ever comes to something iike that I'm sure the trucker's attorneys will point it out and it will be tough job for the state to prove otherwise, given the ratings of the bridge.

 

[TomP]

It appears at this point that an oversize, overweight truck might possibly have hit the bridge closing it to collapse. From what they said on the news other drivers had to make the truck pull over as either it didn't realize it hit the bridge, or it was just going to try to get away. They did say that if the truck was found liable for the damage, the trucking company would have to pay to rebuild the bridge. I do hope they have massive insurance. This is going to make it very hard for people to get from where I live down to Seattle. Many people have to cross that bridge every day to get to work. They will now have to get off the I-5 at one of the exits and then take the back roads which is going to cause a lot of congestion. They said it could take months possibly a year to get the bridge rebuilt.

Carole

Happy no one died. The heavy movers usually have/required to carry massive insurance, but good luck with that. I cracked up reading comments.

"of course it was obsolete, it did not have a toll booth" A lot of truth in that observation, not that a tool booth would make anything any better.

 

[james thiel]

We have company coming from Canada today. I spent time telling them to take the back roads and see some of our scenic Skagit Flats. We are so glad everyone seems to have come out of this without any deaths. Very fortunate. Honestly I-5 from Mt Vernon to Bellingham is really in bad shape. I am sure it will take a long time to get a replacement up. I too have crossed this bridge many many times as I grew up in Bellingham and still go up there a fair amount. Our prayers are with all involved.

 

[Muonic]

That's sure going to jam things up. Can't imagine having to go to work that way for the next several months. It's been a long time since I drove up I-5.

 

[Retief]

Carole, luckily nobody died, but it takes a lot more than one heavy truck hitting a bridge to make it collapse.

Actually, this is not true. The report I heard this morning, as well as last night, from the former head of the NTSB, is that this bridge is of a "fracture critical" design, which was not at all uncommon when bridges were built "back in the day". Apparently this means that any single point of failure could cause a collapse. He also made the point that this does not make the bridge unsafe for travel, but it is "obsolete" in that bridges of this type can not be upgraded to current standards.

Here is a quote from one of the news articles regarding "fracture critical":
"The bridge was of a "fracture critical" design, as are 18,000 bridges nationwide, meaning it could collapse if even one part failed."

I think we will need to wait for the final report to know "root cause". What is more interesting to me is how the state will decide to do the repair. Will they try to repair the bridge one span at a time? Tear down the rest and build new?

Here is an Interview with a Survivor. And Another One, worth watching. I heard this guy on the radio this morning, pretty remarkable. Luckily the river is quite shallow at that point.

 

[jaymc]

An 80,000 lb truck (or more, they said it was oversized) going 60 mph hits a beam on the bridge. What do you think will happen? I don't think the taxpayer should have to pay for this. The trucking company has insurance ... they need to pay.

 

[Carole]

I saw the interviews with Dan Sligh last night when they aired live. He, his wife, and the other guy are very lucky. They were in the water for over an hour. It's lucky they didn't have hypothermia.

I'm sure there will be a full investigation. In the meantime, if I go down to Seattle, I'll have to take the back roads for that section. I don't plan on going down that way any time soon. The detour will take people through the tulip fields of Skagit. Too bad they are all gone now.

Carole

 

[TomP]

Wow goggle street really gives a good view, very narrow very low bridge, standard box type beam construction. I bought an engineering set for my son at 12 YO, built that same type bridge. It could not stand a fail point before collapsing, the loads were small bags of sand. Should have given the set to my daughter, building bridges and roads, is what she does.

 

[TomP]

I will bet the rent on a 2/3 month repair, maybe with weight limits, and total new adjacent bridge build. Otherwise you will be years dealing with this issue

 

[Muonic]

In the meantime, if I go down to Seattle, I'll have to take the back roads for that section.

Cut over to Fidalgo Island, south to Whidbey, and then take the ferry over to Mukilteo. Rather long, but scenic. Might as well make a whole day of it. :smile:

 

[Carole]

Cut over to Fidalgo Island, south to Whidbey, and then take the ferry over to Mukilteo. Rather long, but scenic. Might as well make a whole day of it. :smile:

That's a good idea if I have all day. If I'm going down for a doctor's appointment, I can't do that :frown:

I'm also going to the Zenfolio Zoom tour in September in Seattle, so I'll just have to leave a bit earlier to get down there on time.

They said on the news this morning that the DOT has put signs up for the detour so that people know how to get past the collapsed bridge. They were also talking last night about constructing a temporary bridge. So I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Carole

 

[erickb]

So glad it was not as bad as it could be, injuries, deaths, etc...

Side note this is the second time I have scheduled to be up in that area to shoot the Northern State Hospital, don't know if that is a sign or what! Still going to give it a go though

 

[Carole]

So glad it was not as bad as it could be, injuries, deaths, etc...

Side note this is the second time I have scheduled to be up in that area to shoot the Northern State Hospital, don't know if that is a sign or what! Still going to give it a go though

I could still get there as the collapse is south of where I would get off the I-5. Do you need permission to photograph the Northern State Hospital? I know you can no longer go inside as they said there are liability issues. Just wondering if I'd need permission to photograph the outside.

Carole

 

[erickb]

I could still get there as the collapse is south of where I would get off the I-5. Do you need permission to photograph the Northern State Hospital? I know you can no longer go inside as they said there are liability issues. Just wondering if I'd need permission to photograph the outside.

Carole

Don't know about "permission" I do know that there are spots you can take photos at and going with someone that has shot there before :wink:

I can give you an update after we go, or you could come along. I know there will be at least 3 photogs maybe 4 if my wife goes plus my two teenagers. Going on Sunday morning