On Aug. 1, 2007, the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring more than 140.
An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board later concluded a design flaw as the likely cause of the collapse. Investigators also cited additional weight from construction-related materials on the bridge when it collapsed as a contributing factor.
Minneapolis officials have dedicated a Remembrance Garden memorial honoring the 13 people who died and the injured.
August 22, 2007 - The recovery effort at the 35W bridge collapse site is over. On Monday evening divers recovered the body of construction worker Gregory Jolstad from the Mississippi River. He was the last known missing person from the bridge collapse. The final recovery means the mission of a team of U.S. Navy divers is complete. The team has been working to recover victims for over two weeks. Navy Diver Brett Eversman, one of the divers on that team, is interviewed.
August 22, 2007 - State lawmakers are asking the Office of the Legislative Auditor to review highway and bridge spending issues in the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Three weeks after the 35W bridge collapse, a legislative panel meets with the auditor to request an update of a 1997 report. That report highlighted a growing number of structurally deficient bridges and a lack of preventative maintenance. It also warned of steel fatigue in some bridges. Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles says the 10-year-old report clearly showed the potential for a bridge collapse.
August 22, 2007 - Some DFL lawmakers are concerned that reconstruction of the 35W bridge will delay other transportation projects throughout the state. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
August 22, 2007 - State bridge inspections ordered after the 35-W bridge collapse triggered the closure of a bridge in Kittson County, nine months before the bridge was scheduled for another inspection. State Bridge Engineer Dan Dorgan says the Highway 11 bridge over the Red River is closed for repairs lasting about a week. Dorgan says inspectors were aware of a crack in a weld. Another inspection this week revealed the crack had expanded into a steel bracket.
August 22, 2007 - State and federal officials say the recovery of the 13th and last known victim of the 35W bridge collapse means cleanup of the site can now proceed at a faster pace. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board will oversee the debris removal as they continue to look for the cause of the collapse. At a news conference Tuesday, NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker said contractors can haul away the southern end of the bridge and the entire concrete deck.
August 23, 2007 - If you've had to take a detour because of the 35-W bridge collapse, chances are you've been burning extra gas and time. The state of Minnesota estimates the cost of those delays and detours adds up to about $400,000 a day. But as Minnesota Public Radio's Annie Baxter reports, some trucking industry officials say the current estimates understate the cost of the bridge collapse.
August 23, 2007 - Some DFL lawmakers are concerned that reconstruction of the 35W bridge will delay other transportation projects throughout the state. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
August 24, 2007 - The five teams of contractors who hope to win the right to rebuild the I-35W bridge are busy working on their proposals. They have until September tenth to submit their plans to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. MnDOT is offering a large incentive package to ensure that the bridge is done by December of 2008. But there are some who wonder whether the relatively new process that will be used to rebuild the bridge will be cost effective and as scrutinized as it should be. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
August 24, 2007 - The Twin Cities chapter of the Red Cross is giving fair goers a chance to put their thoughts about the 35W bridge collapse in writing. The agency has set up a memorial wall in the Health Fair 11 building for people to express their sentiments about the August 1st disaster.
August 24, 2007 - Investigators trying to figure out why the 35W bridge collapsed will likely be on-scene until November. The National Transportation Safety Board provided an update on the investigation this week but did not indicate whether they were any closer to figuring out why the bridge fell. Investigators did say that there were more than 280 tons of construction materials and equipment on the bridge when it fell. They're also looking at a de-icing system and the potential corrosiveness of the chemicals it used. Dr. Jon Hanson is a distinguished professor emeritus of Structural Engineering and Mechanics at North Carolina State University. He has worked on bridge failure investigations in the past and comments on the bridge collapse.