Here we go again: I-5 bridge over Skagit River (Washington) collapses; cars in water

[Brickbat]

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2013/05/bridge-collapses-on-interstate-5-over-skagit-river

An Interstate 5 bridge collapsed into the Skagit River on Thursday evening, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Trooper Mark Francis wrote on Twitter that people and cars are in the water.

Both the north bound and south bound lanes were in the water, Francis wrote.

“I don’t have much info. N/B and S/B lanes of I-5 Skagit River Bridge collapsed. People and cars in water. I’m very far away. Will update,” he wrote at about 7:20 p.m.

[spanone]

1. k&r...

[kelliekat44]

89. Damn!! If only they could shoot it. nt

[Brickbat]

2. Photo at this link:

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Report-I-5-bridge-collapses-over-Skagit-River-cars-in-water-208758631.html

[BainsBane]

3. image not found

[woo me with science]

4. It's there. nt

[Brickbat]

5. Yeah, I was wrestling with the link.

Should be able to click through OK now.

[BainsBane]

12. That's awful

but the positive part is it looks like it isn't a very busy area. It seems to be far less deadly than the collapse here in Mpls. on 1-35.
The nation's deteriorating infrastructure is a serious problem. More people are going to die if congress doesn't start doing its job.

[RKP5637]

16. Congress will only do its job if there are big bucks in it for them! n/t

[arcane1]

22. But, um, TAXES!! We can't go around paying for shit that we can't see, like bridge maintenance.

We hate the potholes. We hate sitting in traffic while they fix the potholes. We damn sure hate paying taxes to pay for fixing the potholes. Freedom!

Talk about Entitlement... "We demand Big Government provide us with safe, quality roads and bridges, and we demand to pay for none of it!"

[dixiegrrrrl]

38. It is major bridge going from Seattle to Bellingham.

And the area jsut south of the bridge is pretty built up.
The aternative road is old Hwy 99, 2 lane, it will get congested very quickly.
Going to impact a LOT of businesses that need the road for supplies, and commutes.

[pokerfan]

48. Busy enough

It's the Interstate between Seattle and Bellingham/Vancouver.

Fortunately, it will be relatively straightforward to detour around it.

Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/JwNDv

[madokie]

67. Sounds like this was caused by an oversize load hitting the bridge

but don't let me get mess up a good rant

[BainsBane]

68. That shouldn't take out a bridge

How oversize was it?

[madokie]

69. bullshit

again don't let me get in the way of a good rant though. rant on

[BainsBane]

70. So you don't know?

[madokie]

72. Know what?

if hitting a part of the bridge truss will bring it down, sure it is likely too. Why do they have a sign on most bridges saying what the safe height is. Why do you have to get an oversize load permit, why do they have a vehicle up front with a flag on it to let the drivers know if the load behind them is too high for the structure they're about to travel over. I know all those things.
What do you know except ranting about the government this or the government that. Get a clue. Some of us live in the real world seeing real problems as they really are. theres not a conspiracy behind every incident.

[BainsBane]

94. a comment is not a rant

The only rant here is yours. I asked how much overload the vehicle was, and you clearly don't know, but decide to swear instead. You are unhappy I besmirched the GOP-controlled House. That is your problem entirely. If you can't see the nation's public infrastructure is crumbling, you aren't paying attention.

I never mentioned a conspiracy. You have an interior dialog going on in your head that has nothing to do with me. That congress has underfunded public works is made obvious through any number of news sources. http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022896391
Here is a map of unsafe bridges in the country. http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022896207
Eleven people died on the i35 bridge in Minneapolis and not due to an overloaded truck. These were both bridges on interstate highways for God's sake, not back roads. The I5 bridge was rated as structurally obsolete before the crash. Engineers knew is was structurally unsound. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57586034/bridge-collapse-in-washington-state-blamed-on-tractor-trailer/

Happy Sequester.

[HiPointDem]

75. the bridge was built in the 50s, with a supposed life-span of about 50 years, sufficiency rating =

57/100.

an entire section collapsed. the oversize load hit the side. it shouldn't have made the entire section collapse.

[madokie]

77. Each section is a unit

so yes a hit to a part of that section could cause the whole unit to collapse. What I'm saying is that is a truss and every single part of that truss is vital to the well being of the whole truss. I'm not saying that when they investigate they don't find that it was about to fall anyway although I doubt that will be the case. I've been around enough structures to know that yes taking out one part of something can cause the whole things to collapse. the bigger and heavier that is the more that is true too. The part that the trucks load hit is a vital part as all parts to a truss is and that bridge is a series of trusses. one after the other setting on the concrete structures that are anchored to and setting on the world under the water in the river.

Sure its past its designed lifetime but that doesn't immediately mean it will collapse any day. If its structurally deficient yes it will fall but these things are inspected quiet regularly. The trucks load hit the bridge and that is what brought it down, thats fact.

[HiPointDem]

80. DOT rep didn't know the last time it was inspected. I don't have the knowledge to debate on

engineering, but you seem to be saying if a vehicle hits a truss it's likely to take the bridge out. I find that hard to believe as it's not that rare for a vehicle to hit part of a bridge. I'd expect that it happens at a predictable rate per time period and vehicle miles.

Yet bridges aren't collapsing at regular intervals all over the country.

[madokie]

83. We're not talking about the member that is designed to take a vehicle hitting it

we're talking about the overhead brace that is never hit. This was not a car that hit is it was an over-sized load that generally are heavy hitting the upper part of the truss/bridge, a part that is more susceptible to causing what happened here. Did you listen to the guy who was a witness to what happened. Its not rocket science.
Listen to the interveiw with the gentleman who was right in front of this truck whose over-sized load that hit it. He explains that they were going 60 mph and when the load hit it it caused the truck to lift way up and lean way over then it dropped back down and how that section of the bridge then shuttered and then starting to collapse.
You are trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill. Once a member of a truss type bridge is compromised as this top member would have been then all bets are off in this bridge continue to stand.
You show me a bridge that has had this type of damage and its still standing. There simply isn't one and if there is its a miracle that it does.
Listen to the interview with a Mr. Ogden who was there when and witnessed what happened. its at the link provided in the op.

[malaise]

85. That's what I discovered earlier

Still there's a bridge waiting to collapse in too many places

[madokie]

87. No doubt about that

We need to be spending money on infrastructure and would be if the President had his way. A big part of his jobs bill that the pukes shot down was projects such as these kind. We really do need to keep on pointing out where the damage is and what is causing it, damage I mean legislation that is not being passed because of what I see as largely racist bullshit by the retillicon party. They have passed from being an opposition party to a seditious party.

[HiPointDem]

73. It's I-5. It's the major north-south route. It's *very* busy.

[BainsBane]

74. Contrast that with the I-35 bridge

just outside downtown Minneapolis and full of cars at the time it collapsed. Eleven people were killed. This disaster in Washington was awful, but thankfully only two cars were on the bridge.

[HiPointDem]

76. where'd you get the idea only two cars were on the bridge? Three cars went in the water, and

there were more than that on the bridge.

The span that collapsed is about 4-5 car-lengths long.

[BainsBane]

88. I read it somewhere

[HiPointDem]

90. well, they got it wrong.

[BainsBane]

91. How are people doing?

I hope no one was killed.

[HiPointDem]

92. no one was killed that i heard of. amazingly.

[BainsBane]

93. I'm glad to hear that

What an awful thing to happen.

[CatWoman]

32. ...

[BainsBane]

35. Thanks, what an awful thing

and entirely preventable. That's the worst part about it.

[chillfactor]

40. thank you for the link....

the pictures are spectacular..people sitting on top of their vehicles

thank goodness it doesn't look to be as horrible as the bridge collapse in Minnesota

[DesertFlower]

7. OMG. nt

[rustydog]

6. This is above us about an hour

Wow, an entire section of the bridge collapsed. Seeing lost of photos on King 5 news

[dixiegrrrrl]

24. I just emailed my family up there..

if I had a dollar every time I crossed that bridge when I lived there......

[dembotoz]

8. bridge looks really old

is it?

[arikara]

18. They just said it was build in 1955

with a life expectancy of 50 or so years.

[hollysmom]

9. infrastructure - invest in the future - damn it!!!!!

I am so tired of arguing with people over this - for people read conservative republicans.

[woo me with science]

10. Damn it all to hell.

WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THIS COUNTRY FOR GOOD ROADS.

WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THIS COUNTRY FOR GOOD SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THIS COUNTRY TO MAKE SURE NOBODY IS HUNGRY.

WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THIS COUNTRY TO MAKE SURE NOBODY IS HOMELESS.

WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THIS COUNTRY FOR UNIVERSAL MEDICAL CARE.

HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO TOLERATE THIEVES AND WARMONGERS????????????

[FirstLight]

13. +10000!!

no words...just anger

[opiate69]

14. This^^^ +1000000

[Ilsa]

19. ^^^^^ Rec this post! ^^^^^ nt

[RKP5637]

20. Until we kick the entranced out of office. People are

in the way in America. Only money in the pockets of politicians counts.

[kentuck]

28. "HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO TOLERATE THIEVES AND WARMONGERS????????????"

Good question, woo. Good question...

[xtraxritical]

60. Thieves and warmongers, you mean Republicans I'm sure.

[nolabear]

36. What you said. How long?

[Bonobo]

46. OMG!!! Why do you support terrorists? nt

[SCVDem]

49. Or Apple, GE, Exxon, etc. not paying taxes? nt

[Quantess]

71. plus a million

[hunter]

11. OMG

Like a lot of people, been over that bridge a few times...

[dixiegrrrrl]

39. Good page of pics, here:

https://twitter.com/komonews/media/grid

[Skip Intro]

15. WTF? Aren't bridges inspected regularly, and deemed safe?

Man, I hope everyone makes it out ok.

Prayers to them.

[Brickbat]

17. Depends on what you mean by "regularly."

Bart Treece with the Washington State Department of Transportation was unsure when the bridge was last inspected.

"All of our bridges in the area are pretty old," he said.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Cars-bodies-in-Skagit-River-after-I-5-Bridge-collapse--208760201.html

[Skip Intro]

23. You'd assume as regularly as needed to ensure the bridge's integrity

wouldn't you?

Not sure when the bridge was last inspected???

Are there records somewhere?

Have to be.

I really - there is no excuse for this. If the bridge was too old to be safe then close it down.

No excuse not to know and not to act.

Again, wtf?

[Brickbat]

25. I was working at a daily newspaper during the collapse of the Minnesota bridge.

All the newspapers of course started chasing whether the bridges in their areas were up to snuff. It's extremely difficult to find records about every bridge in a given county, simply because so many bridges are overseen by different entities -- municipalities, counties, states, and so on. And there are different levels of inspection, and different timings, and sometimes confusion over jurisdiction...if Washington is anything like Minnesota, it's a clusterfuck.

It's a great enterprise story for any newspaper, though, so I encourage you to ask your local newspaper to look into bridges in your area.

[HiPointDem]

29. well, thanks bart. not. dot doesn't keep records of bridge inspections? what.the.fuck.

[MissB]

53. I drive over one that was rated 1 out of 100.

It is probably slightly better since they're in the process of building a new one in its place. It's been shifted over onto new supports.

But I know it's a crappy bridge. It doesn't allow heavy vehicles or buses anymore. And it's in the city, not part of the interstate system.

This bridge collapse is simply unacceptable. Huge deal.

[AtheistCrusader]

58. An oversized vehicle took it out.

Either it weighed too much and the girders failed (driver error) causing it to fall and hit the load on the way through, or the load actually HIT the bridge, buckling a support (driver error) bringing it down.

It's an obsolete design. It wouldn't be built that way today, precisely because removing one girder can cause it to collapse. However, simply being an obsolete design doesn't mean it crumbled. It was taken out accidentally by someone who should have known better. (If preliminary reports are accurate)

[Egalitarian Thug]

66. What country do you think you are living in? n/t

[Arugula Latte]

21. There's no money for infrastructure upkeep--the military industrial complex needed it

to slaughter Iraqi children for Freedom.

Damn -- We just had a discussion about this very thing this afternoon: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2891246

[woo me with science]

26. +10000

[RKP5637]

27. All money goes for kill power in MIC USA, Inc. n/t

[gopiscrap]

30. this is what happens when we spend on

war and cut taxes on the rich!

[Matariki]

31. OH F*CK. Damn damn damn

We have plenty of money in our state, but we also have this moron - the king of the libertarian initiatives. He's done so much damage to Washington but blocking tax revenue for necessities, that this tragedy can probably be laid fairly at his feet.

[AtheistCrusader]

59. My money is on the driver of the oversized load.

Either over the load rating of the bridge, or hit the bridge.

[wickerwoman]

79. It's 2013.

One driver shouldn't be able to take down a bridge.

[AtheistCrusader]

81. Well, most oversized loads require a team of people.

So, never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

(Though I agree, that bridge design would not be used today, in the United States, if a new bridge were being constructed. It is outdated and vulnerable to this sort of impact.)

[Matariki]

33. Link with photo.

This is just miles north of my home. In fact I just drove over that bridge on tuesday.

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Report-I-5-bridge-collapses-over-Skagit-River-cars-in-water-208758631.html

[nolabear]

34. Just north of me. Just now live pictures. Damndamndamn.

Two people on rescue boats awaiting hospital transfer.

[dixiegrrrrl]

44. And Memorial Day Weekend coming up.

Fortunately Hwy 99 is still there, running along side 1-5.
God, it took us HOURS to get from Seattle to Bellingham on that old road, before the freeway was built.
Pretty drive, tho, in summer and fall.

[nolabear]

45. Gorgeous drive. But it sends a shiver up my spine. Commerce is going to suffer too.

[customerserviceguy]

82. Yep, every three day summer weekend

I-5 is a parking lot. This isn't going to help one bit.

Washington State has had some pretty dramatic infrastructure failures, from Galloping Gertie several decades ago, to the Hood Canal Floating Bridge breaking up. The rainy seasons take their toll.

[dixiegrrrrl]

84. I was on Whidbey during that Hood Canal Bridge incident.

'79 I think.
That storm had gusts over 100 mph...
Could not get to the main hwy for 3 days because of all the downed trees.

people think about hurricanes and tornadoes, but don't realize the Pac. NW gets some horrendous wind storms.

[summerschild]

37. K&R

[madamesilverspurs]

41. Hope everyone is okay!

Hey, maybe Glenn Beck will kick in some money to help. Isn't he from Mt. Vernon?

[grasswire]

42. bridge termed "functionally obsolete" in 2010 -- Seattle Times

Three people rescued, responders are searching for any others. Water is very cold with swift currents.

Watching this live on NWCN -- Northwest Channel News.

[grasswire]

43. Coast Guard helicopter on scene now, looking for any others in water.

Daylight is fading, but still pretty good.

[rhett o rick]

50. "Functionally obsolete" doesnt mean unsafe. I think you will find that a truck damaged the bridge

to the point where is collapsed.

[pokerfan]

57. This is an important point

Functionally obsolete" means that the design of a bridge is not suitable for its current use, such as lack of safety shoulders or the inability to handle current traffic volume, speed, size, or weight.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Bridge_Inventory

Functionally obsolete ? structurally deficient.

[dixiegrrrrl]

86. Hey grasswire...thanks for that link to NWCN!

[pokerfan]

47. NWCN reporting that a truck struck the bridge

prior to the collapse, according to an eyewitness.

[dixiegrrrrl]

51. Will be interesting when more is known and events unfold,

As in what kind of truck struck the bridge where?
And how does that collapse an entire section of the bridge....

[pokerfan]

55. If the trusses are damaged, that could do it

The deck can't support itself. Doesn't help that it was an old bridge in need of repair. Picture of the truck from KING 5 news:



http://www.king5.com/news/local/Report-I-5-bridge-collapses-over-Skagit-River-cars-in-water-208758631.html?gallery=y&c=y#/news/local/Report-I-5-bridge-collapses-over-Skagit-River-cars-in-water-208758631.html

[pokerfan]

52. WSDOT confirms oversized load did strike the bridge before it collapsed

https://twitter.com/NWCN

[ZRT2209]

63. who could have predicted an oversized load gone bad on a highway?...

[Sedona]

54. Live stream

http://www.komonews.com/live

[cherokeeprogressive]

56. From the link in post #2...

Witnesses reported seeing a semitruck with an oversized load crossing the bridge and striking a girder before it collapsed.

"I saw it. I was less than 50 feet away from the truck when it hit it," witness Dale Ogden told KING 5. "I had just passed it in the fast lane southbound and it had an oversized load. It was approximately 12 feet wide and over 14 feet tall. It was in the slow lane when I came by...I was behind the flag car and in front of the truck in the other lane and I saw the whip - normally tells you how high they can clear - start hitting the bridge. I looked in my rearview mirror knowing this was not going to turn out well."

"I saw the truck strike the right corner of the bridge. It almost tipped the truck over but it came back down. It tipped it up to about a 30 degree angle to the left and it came back down on its wheels and almost instantaneously behind that I saw girders falling in my rearview mirror."

[upi402]

61. Time to tax the assholes

Enough. This country is becoming what we were taught to despise about Russia.

Broken-down infrastructure, propagandized populous, authoritarian governance.

[ZRT2209]

64. oligarchy, plutocracy

[ZRT2209]

62. in 2009, Mount Vernon mayor gave Glenn Beck key to city, amid many protests

[pokerfan]

65. Glenn Beck Day

And members of the Young Democrats of Skagit County were protesting outside City Hall with signs reading "Change the locks," KOMO-TV reported.

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2009796296_beck03m.html

[Hekate]

78. Description at link of oversize truck striking bridge beams, tipping up, coming down...

"I had just passed it in the fast lane southbound and it had an oversized load. It was approximately 12 feet wide and over 14 feet tall. It was in the slow lane when I came by...I was behind the flag car and in front of the truck in the other lane and I saw the whip - normally tells you how high they can clear - start hitting the bridge. I looked in my rearview mirror knowing this was not going to turn out well.
"I saw the truck strike the right corner of the bridge. It almost tipped the truck over but it came back down. It tipped it up to about a 30 degree angle to the left and it came back down on its wheels and almost instantaneously behind that I saw girders falling in my rearview mirror."

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Report-I-5-bridge-collapses-over-Skagit-River-cars-in-water-208758631.html