I-35W Mississippi River bridge facts for kids
The I-35W Mississippi River bridge was an eight-lane steel arch bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It opened in 1967. It was the third busiest bridge in Minnesota. It carried over 140,000 vehicles daily.
On August 1, 2007, during the evening rush hour, a major failure caused the bridge to fall down. The bridge collapse killed 13 people. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said a problem with the design probably caused the bridge to fall. They said a too-thin steel plate ripped along a line of rivets. Also, additional weight at the time due to ongoing rehabilitation construction led to the major failure that caused the bridge to fall into the Mississippi River. It later was replaced with the I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge which opened in September 2008. The new bridge that opened in 2008 carries 10 lanes.
Images for kids
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I-35W bridge (center left) west of the 10th Avenue Bridge (center right), 2004
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Ninety-three people were rescued from the collapsed bridge. Minneapolis Fire Department boats on the Mississippi River took about twenty people. The rescue lasted about three hours.
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United States Navy divers in the recovery operation, diving from a United States Army Corps of Engineers barge
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Helicopter and airboat on the 10th Avenue Bridge
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Col. Michael Chesney, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, and Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek
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In the center, Donald C. Winter, former Secretary of the Navy, views the I-35W bridge collapse site. To the left is Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.
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Closure sign on Interstate 35W
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Observers on the Stone Arch Bridge
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The disaster site was used as a backdrop by TV crews. Contessa Brewer is shown here reporting for MSNBC.
See also
In Spanish: Puente I-35W del río Misisipi para niños