The I-35W Mississippi River bridge (officially known as Bridge 9340) was an eight-lane, steel truss arch bridge that carried Interstate 35W across the Mississippi River one-half mile (875 m) downstream from the Saint Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The bridge opened in 1967 and was Minnesota’s third busiest, carrying 140,000 vehicles daily. It had a catastrophic failure during the evening rush hour on August 1, 2007, killing 13 people and injuring 145. The NTSB cited a design flaw as the likely cause of the collapse, noting that a too-thin gusset plate ripped along a line of rivets, and additional weight on the bridge at the time contributed to the catastrophic failure.
Help came immediately from mutual aid in the seven-county Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area and emergency response personnel, charities, and volunteers. Within a few days of the collapse, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) planned its replacement with the I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge. Construction on the replacement bridge completed quickly, opening on September 18, 2008.
At 6:05 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, with rush hour bridge traffic moving slowly through the limited number of lanes, the central span of the bridge suddenly gave way, followed by the adjoining spans. The structure and deck collapsed into the river and onto the riverbanks below, the south part toppling 81 feet (25 m) eastward in the process. A total of 111 vehicles were involved, sending their occupants and 18 construction workers as far as 115 feet (35 m) down to the river or onto its banks. Northern sections fell into a rail yard, landing on three unoccupied and stationary freight cars.
Sequential images of the collapse were taken by an outdoor security camera located at the parking lot entrance of the control facility for the Lower Saint Anthony Falls Lock and Dam. The immediate aftermath of the collapse was also captured by a Mn/DOT traffic camera that was facing away from the bridge during the collapse itself. The federal government immediately launched a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation. NTSB chairman Mark Rosenker, along with a number of investigators, arrived on scene nine hours after the collapse. Rosenker remained in Minneapolis for nearly one week, serving as the government’s designated primary interface with federal, state and local officials as well as briefing the press on the status of the investigation.
Mayor R. T. Rybak and Governor Tim Pawlenty declared a state of emergency for the city of Minneapolis and for the State of Minnesota on August 2, 2007. Rybak’s declaration was approved and extended indefinitely by the Minneapolis City Council the next day. As of the morning following the collapse, according to White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, Minnesota had not requested a federal disaster declaration. President Bush pledged support during a visit to the site on August 4 with Minnesota elected officials and announced that United States Secretary of Transportation (USDOT) Mary Peters would lead the rebuilding effort. Rybak and Pawlenty gave the president detailed requests for aid during a closed-door meeting. Local authorities were assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) evidence team, and by United States Navy divers who began arriving on August 5, 2007.
Terjemahan bebas:
Jembatan Sungai Mississippi I-35W (secara resmi dikenal sebagai Jembatan 9340) adalah jembatan lengkung rangka baja delapan jalur yang membawa Interstate 35W melintasi Sungai Mississippi setengah mil (875 m) ke hilir dari Air Terjun Saint Anthony di Minneapolis, Minnesota , Amerika Serikat. Jembatan dibuka pada tahun 1967 dan merupakan yang ketiga tersibuk di Minnesota, membawa 140.000 kendaraan setiap hari. Itu mengalami kegagalan bencana selama jam sibuk malam pada 1 Agustus 2007, menewaskan 13 orang dan melukai 145. NTSB mengutip cacat desain sebagai kemungkinan penyebab keruntuhan, mencatat bahwa pelat buhul yang terlalu tipis robek di sepanjang garis paku keling, dan beban tambahan di jembatan pada saat itu berkontribusi pada kegagalan bencana.
Bantuan segera datang dari gotong royong di tujuh wilayah metropolitan Minneapolis–Saint Paul dan personel tanggap darurat, badan amal, dan sukarelawan. Dalam beberapa hari setelah keruntuhan, Departemen Transportasi Minnesota (Mn/DOT) merencanakan penggantiannya dengan Jembatan Air Terjun Saint Anthony I-35W. Konstruksi jembatan pengganti selesai dengan cepat, dibuka pada 18 September 2008.
Pukul 18:05 CDT pada Rabu, 1 Agustus 2007, dengan lalu lintas jembatan pada jam-jam sibuk bergerak lambat melalui jumlah lajur yang terbatas, bentang tengah jembatan tiba-tiba ambruk, diikuti oleh bentang-bentang di sebelahnya. Struktur dan geladak runtuh ke sungai dan ke tepi sungai di bawahnya, bagian selatan terguling 81 kaki (25 m) ke arah timur dalam proses tersebut. Sebanyak 111 kendaraan terlibat, mengirimkan penumpang dan 18 pekerja konstruksi sejauh 115 kaki (35 m) ke sungai atau ke tepiannya. Bagian utara jatuh ke halaman rel, mendarat di tiga gerbong barang kosong dan stasioner.
Gambar berurutan dari keruntuhan diambil oleh kamera keamanan luar ruangan yang terletak di pintu masuk tempat parkir fasilitas kontrol untuk Lock and Dam Air Terjun Saint Anthony Bawah. Segera setelah keruntuhan juga ditangkap oleh kamera lalu lintas Mn/DOT yang menghadap jauh dari jembatan selama keruntuhan itu sendiri. Pemerintah federal segera meluncurkan penyelidikan Dewan Keselamatan Transportasi Nasional (NTSB). Ketua NTSB Mark Rosenker, bersama dengan sejumlah penyelidik, tiba di lokasi sembilan jam setelah keruntuhan. Rosenker tetap berada di Minneapolis selama hampir satu minggu, melayani sebagai penghubung utama yang ditunjuk pemerintah dengan pejabat federal, negara bagian dan lokal serta memberi pengarahan kepada pers tentang status penyelidikan.
Walikota R. T. Rybak dan Gubernur Tim Pawlenty mengumumkan keadaan darurat untuk kota Minneapolis dan Negara Bagian Minnesota pada 2 Agustus 2007. Deklarasi Rybak disetujui dan diperpanjang tanpa batas oleh Dewan Kota Minneapolis pada hari berikutnya. Pada pagi hari setelah keruntuhan, menurut Sekretaris Pers Gedung Putih Tony Snow, Minnesota belum meminta deklarasi bencana federal. Presiden Bush menjanjikan dukungan selama kunjungan ke lokasi pada 4 Agustus dengan pejabat terpilih Minnesota dan mengumumkan bahwa Menteri Transportasi Amerika Serikat (USDOT) Mary Peters akan memimpin upaya pembangunan kembali. Rybak dan Pawlenty memberikan permintaan bantuan secara rinci kepada presiden selama pertemuan tertutup. Pemerintah setempat dibantu oleh tim bukti Biro Investigasi Federal (FBI), dan oleh penyelam Angkatan Laut Amerika Serikat yang mulai berdatangan pada 5 Agustus 2007.
A new bridge collapsed in Florida – Jembatan baru berdiri runtuh di Florida – CEPAGRAM
