WP: State Patrol: I-5 bridge over Skagit River collapses in NW Wash; vehicles, people in water

[visionary]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/state-patrol-i-5-bridge-over-skagit-river-collapses-in-nw-wash-vehicles-people-in-water/2013/05/23/ef618aaa-c41c-11e2-9642-a56177f1cdf7_story.html

State Patrol: I-5 bridge over Skagit River collapses in NW Wash; vehicles, people in water

 

The Washington State Patrol says the Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River at Mount Vernon has collapsed, dumping vehicles and people into the water.

 

Trooper Mark Francis said the four-lane bridge collapsed about 7 p.m.

 

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/23/skagit-river-bridge-collapses_n_3329496.html

According to the Washington State Patrol, both north and southbound lanes of the interstate were affected.

 

Rescue teams are currently searching the river for survivors. At least two cars with people inside are in the water, King5.com reported.

 

 

 

 

 

https://twitter.com/KING5Seattle

BREAKING - photo shows man standing outside his truck in the river after I-5 bridge collapse over Skagit River pic.twitter.com/cPYCZ5Xy9l
10:56 PM

BREAKING - photo of man on his car in Skagit River after I-5 bridge collapse: pic.twitter.com/CPkJcJ01cw
11:00 PM

 

[China]

Reminiscent of that bridge collapse in Minnesota.  We are seeing the result of the lack of attention to the aging infrastructure in this country right before our eyes.  Unfortunately we should probably expect more of these occurrences in the years to come.

[renaissance]

Absolutely terrifying to see stuff like this.

 

In Minnesota they replaced the 35W bridge with one of the most technologically advanced bridges out there. I hope Washington is able to attempt to make amends by doing something similar.

[Busch1724]

Howzabout less foreign aid and more infrastructure improvements?

[Dan T.]

Weird.  Google maps shows I-5 ending at the river and then starting back again on the other side.  Could they have already changed their mapping to indicate that it's impassible?

[The Evil Genius]

Reminiscent of that bridge collapse in Minnesota.  We are seeing the result of the lack of attention to the aging infrastructure in this country right before our eyes.  Unfortunately we should probably expect more of these occurrences in the years to come.

 

While true, Federal Highways did make Bridge Rehab and Repair a main point of emphasis a few years ago - so what limited $'s were going to that program have been somewhat increased.

 

This should really bring more attention to bridge maintenance though and thank god there weren't any casualties (at least that's what they were saying last night).

[The Evil Genius]

Some new info.

 

The collapse of the Interstate-5 bridge over the Skagit River in Washington State was triggered by an oversized truck hitting its steel span, sending two vehicles into the icy water 50-feet below, Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste said Friday.

 

also...

 

The bridge, which was classified by the NBI as "functionally obsolete," was inspected twice last year and repaired, according to the state Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson.

 

The 58-year-old bridge has a sufficiency rating of 57.4 out of 100, according to federal records. That is well below the statewide average rating of 80, according to an Associated Press analysis of federal data, but 759 bridges in the state have a lower sufficiency score.

 

According to a 2012 Skagit County Public Works Department report, 42 of the county's 108 bridges are 50 years or older. The document says eight of the bridges are more than 70 years old and two are over 80.

 

Entire article here --> http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/24/bridge-washington-state-collapsed-truck/2357389/

 

edit - FYI - "functionally obsolete" doesn't actually mean what you probably think it means. 

[twa]

a truck with a oversize load ramming the bridge ,along with being poorly engineered, is the problem

[The Evil Genius]

a truck with a oversize load ramming the bridge ,along with being poorly engineered, is the problem

 

Actually, poorly engineered might be a little harsh. It's an old bridge (almost 60 years old) that was engineered in an old way.

 

Sure - compared to today's requirements it wouldn't be engineered the same way - but the bridge building concepts that we require now aren't the same as was required back in 1955 when the bridge was built.

 

I suspect that it wasn't also originally engineered to handle the the level of service that it sees every day also. 

[China]

There are 759 bridges in the state with a lower sufficiency score?  So it would seem they are disasters waiting to happen.

[The Evil Genius]

There are 759 bridges in the state with a lower sufficiency score?  So it would seem they are disasters waiting to happen.

 

Probably, however it didn't say how many of them were on state roads & highways.

 

The majority could be on less traveled local roads - not that that makes it any better.

 

Here in California we are looking at a crisis of never having enough transportation $'s to keep up with the needed rehab of the existing road network, let alone bridges.

 

I suspect its the same way in other states.

[visionary]

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2013/05/20135243640680162.html

US highway bridge collapses into river