First of all, let me say that Kiran and I have been out of town for the last week and we are just fine. We were not in the Twin Cities when the 35W bridge went down. We were enjoying some much needed R & R on beautiful Lake Vermilion. While we are there, we rarely turn on the tv or watch the news.
On Wednesday evening, our cell phones started to ring. I talked to my dad's wife, and she told me that a bridge around the U of MN just fell into the river. The rest of the evening was spent in disbelief. We turned on the tv and with the invention of satellite we watched in horror and were wandering if we were going to make it through tragedy without knowing anyone affected.
I traveled that bridge a few times a month, when I attended to the U of MN, I watch out my dorm window, the traffic and how it would back up during rush hour. I HATED that bridge because it was always so busy!
On Thursday, I learned that several of the children on the bus where students or former students from my school. I thankful that they survived. Tonight was the first time, I really have sat down and looked at the pictures cannot believe how close this one hit to home. I have cried so many times listening to the stories and watching the families who have lost loved ones.
My thanks and heart go out to the Minneapolis police and fire departments. They did one hell of a job. What does go through your mind when you get a call saying that bridge was down?
This bridge was the most traveled in the entire state. HOW IN THE HELL DOES A BRIDGE IN AMERICA JUST COLLAPSE!!! In our fine state, our governor, refuses to raise taxes. For the past two legislative sessions, they have tried to pass bills to increase state funding by raising the gas tax. He has vetoed it every time. Today I hear that he is going to call a special session in September and guess what he said it would be to raise the gasoline tax.
Why did have to take a tragedy like this to get him to change his mind? Why didn't he listen to the MDOT when they said they needed the money? Why did anyone have to die?
My thoughts and prayers go out to anyone who was involved in this horrible event.
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4 comments:
Tears of happiness at finding words from you here now!
On NPR the other night they said it would take $40 billion a year for 10 years to replace all the substandard bridges in America. That was the day aftet I read somewhere that the Iraq War had just gone over the TRILLION dollar mark.
It's not just your state government that's to blame here!
So glad you are OK!
alan
hi mary,
thanks for letting me know you were ok. my son called chris too, to make sure he was all right.
you're right, why does it take such destruction for change to occur?
and alan, a trillion? that is just too hard to believe.
i look forward to the next major plantary shift even though it will be hell to live through.
Don't get to relaxed, the idiot we have for Governor is already starting to back down.. he said he would "consider " a gas tax increase.
Meanwhile they did a poll and the majority of Minnesotans are opposed
so we will have to see what happens.
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
I am hoping soon I can find time to post more often.
I watched the whole bridge disaster from my mom's house in Edmonton. It's hard to believe that something that strong could just collapse like that. It must have been a horrible shock finding out that former students had been in the bus.
paul
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