|
|
Article: I-35W bridge was doomed from the start; Investigators will say the blame lies with designers who erred in calculating the size of key gusset plates, sources say.(NEWS)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- October 26, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Byline: TONY KENNEDY; PAUL McENROE; STAFF WRITERS
Original designers of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis likely neglected to calculate the size of key gusset plates that eventually failed, a human mistake that culminated 40 years later when 13 people died after the span collapsed, federal safety investigators have found.
They also have determined that corrosion of certain gusset plates, extreme heat and shifting piers did not contribute to the bridge's collapse on Aug. 1, 2007, according to sources with direct knowledge of the probe. In three weeks, investigators will present their findings to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), ...