The tragic devastation borne by the collapse of a large bridge in Minneapolis underscores the need for more inspections, more accountability and more funding for our region and nation’s transportation needs.
At least five people were killed and more than a dozen injured when the eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery, failed during rush-hour traffic Wednesday. In the wake of the tragedy, divers searched for bodies underneath the bridge as officials attempted to explain why they didn’t believe a bridge classified as “structurally deficient” was at risk for imminent collapse.
Fingers are pointing. People are mourning. And we here in southern West Virginia are left wondering about the state of our own infrastructure.
The Mountain State has 85 bridges built before 1905. And 37 percent of the state’s 6,956 bridges are classified as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, according to an Associated Press report. That’s right. More than 2,000 bridges with questionable safety or practical usage.
Many of the older bridges are located in southern West Virginia, and inspections of such structures are conducted on a regular basis, John McBrayer, West Virginia Division of Transportation District 10 administrator, told the Daily Telegraph. “We do have a periodic inspection schedule,” McBrayer said. “But some bridges are inspected somewhat more often due to their age. There may be some things we need to look at more regularly, and maybe there is an efficiency report that needs to be done. We have an excellent bridge team here in District 10. They are very capable people.”
We do not question the capability of the District 10 staff. However, we do wonder if there are adequate funds to replace our aging bridges.
Take a drive through Mercer and McDowell counties and these timeworn structures — some with cracks in the concrete or rebar hanging below the span — are evident.
So we ask: How safe are motorists driving across these bridges?
That question should be answered — promptly — by the responsible agencies. And if a bridge is unsafe, steps must be taken immediately to replace it or bring it up to necessary standards.
U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall, D-W.Va., who was named the new vice chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Thursday, is calling for a renewed federal investment in the nation’s infrastructure system. Rahall said the bridge collapse in Minnesota is a “clear call for a serious reassessment of our transportation infrastructure.”
“By investing in the transportation needs of our country, we can work to make sure tragedies like this never happen again, and get back to rebuilding America,” Rahall said.
Rahall is right. We can not skimp on transportation funding when safety is at stake.
Federal and state governments have a responsibility to provide safe transportation to the people. If there is any doubt this funding purse must be opened wide, the Minnesota tragedy should serve as a grim reminder of the potential consequences that could await if we continue to let our bridges fall into disrepair.