Bridge falls into Mississippi River

[Ron61]

Well this mornings news said that all the bridges and overpasses in this state are going to be inspected. Ernie knows about the Pit River Bridge and it was a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10 and they are spending 2 years repairing it to keep it from falling and taking the railroad into the lake with it. I believe the report said that over 90% of the bridges and overpasses inspected are very low on the scale, but there is no danger of them falling. Now watch two or three of them collapse within the next month. But they claim that our bridges are stronger as they are built to modern earthquake standards. Even so, many were built before the newest laws and a rating of 4 out of 10 with 10being top does not give me a lot of confidence.

Ron

[wtm442]

Originally Posted by Ron61

Well this mornings news said that all the bridges and overpasses in this state are going to be inspected.
Ron

Big deal. All bridges are inspected periodically. They are doing the same in MA right now.

Just because it has been inspected does not make it safer.

But when the inspection reports list problems that should be addressed and they are not (like the bridge that just collapsed) .... that's the BIG problem.

[Ron61]

Warren,

We have the worst main highways of any state according to one report that I read. No maintenance at all. Just inspections as they are cheaper and the politicians can then use the money for themselves. I think next time I have the Coupe running I am going to hunt a bridge.

Ron

[Sizzler]

Originally Posted by May, 2007

Governor Tim Pawlenty's veto of a bipartisan transportation bill will cause further deterioration to the state's transportation system and end up costing the state's taxpayers more in the long run.
"This veto shows a real lack of leadership on the part of the Governor," said Solberg. "He has just passed the buck for paying for badly needed road repairs to our kids and our grandkids."

The bill, which passed the Senate on Wednesday, would provide $7.7 billion of funding for the state's transportation system over the next 10 years, including $5.9 billion for roads, with $3.2 billion going to highways in Greater Minnesota. The bill also doubles the amount of money provided for rural transit.

In his veto message, the Governor said he vetoed the bill because it contained an increase to the gas tax, which would have broken a pledge he made three years ago to the partisan Minnesota Taxpayers League to secure the Republican nomination for Governor.

"This is a good indication of where his priorities lie," said Solberg. "He made a promise to a group of his supporters at the expense of the rest of the state."

Solberg also questions the Governor's choice of vetoing the gas tax, when he continues to raise property taxes, and has had no qualms about raising taxes on alcohol or rental cars.

"He certainly doesn't have any qualms about raising fees, either, like the $2,000-plus fee on nursing home residents," Solberg said. "His own transportation plan relies almost exclusively on borrowing, with the bills coming due long after he's left office. That approach will end up costing us more in the long run and limit what we can do in future years."

In Illinois we have the same situation: budget needs to include $1.2 Billion in state funding in order to qualify for over $6 Billion in matching federal funds, and it looks like our governor wants to pay off his voting bloc before worrying about mere citizens so we'll probably so "no thanks" to the federal $6 Billion.

This isn't a federal problem so much as a state issue.

[wtm442]

Just think of all the maintenance cost that are going to suck up state and federal dollars for the Big Dig tunnels in Boston.

Ron - next time I drive thru any one of those tunnels, I'll try to do a better job of creating some new cracks.