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State Representative Carolyn Laine
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4331
For more information contact: Joan Nichols 651-29X-XXXX
Column/LTE
More Than Just A Bridge Collapsed
Dear Editor:
Today, the words "structurally deficient" fill the minds of Minnesotans and the world with horrific images of a collapsed bridge and the ensuing chaos. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of this tragedy and their families.
My concern is that this was a senseless tragedy, senseless because this catastrophe may have been avoidable. The Interstate Highway 35W bridge that collapsed into the Mississippi River on Wednesday night was rated by the federal government as "structurally deficient" in 2004, and the state conducted surface inspections twice since. This is one example where information was available and yet, repeatedly, legislative initiatives to invest in our infrastructure were denied.
In the coming days ahead, as we search for answers about how this could happen in Minnesota, questions will be asked, for instance, about the failure to sign a comprehensive transportation bill into law.
More than just a bridge collapsed last night in our great city. The confidence of commuters is justifiably shaken. This tragic collapse should never be repeated.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Laine
State Representative, 50A
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