I love Minneapolis. I've never lived there, but have driven through the metro area many times and stopped in almost as many. I've been there twice this year, including just a month ago. Though I'm not from "The Cities" as we call them, I am always a Minnesotan, wherever I live.
And though I didn't want to watch the coverage of the I-35W collapse tonight, I could hardly turn away. I've been in that area of the city a few times. I can only recall a couple of occasions in which I have driven over the bridge (because I seldom need to go to the northern suburbs), but I'm very familiar with the area. In fact, on our visit last month, we drove by it on 4th St.--glancing to the left not knowing that I was seeing it for the last time. The riverfront area has a number of noteworthy bridges, and part of our trip to The Cities was to experience the riverfront. My wife and kids and I went down to St. Anthony Main, saw the falls, the Stone Arch Bridge, and the Pillsbury "A" Mill. The kids loved Pillsbury Park. Those attractions are just upstream from 35W, and visible from the bridge, just out of the field of view of the helicopter shots you've been watching. The lock at Lower St. Anthony Falls is just upstream of the bridge and has been in many of the shots.
My mind kept going back to all my experiences in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and I found myself wishing I could be there tonight--to pitch in somehow--even though there would be nothing to do. It was very nice to hear all the stories of the people who helped others off the bridge in those chaotic first few minutes. How glad we all were to hear that the children on the school bus all made it out ok.
The bridge is a major arterial for commuters coming into Minneapolis from the northern suburbs. Traffic won't return to normal until they rebuild the bridge, which could take a couple of years. But they will recover.
Here's the story from the PioneerPress. For blog reaction, see SCSU Scholars, Captains Quarters, and the Buzz.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the people whose lives were forever changed by today's tragedy.
To donate to the Twin Cities Red Cross, you may go to http://redcrosstc.org/donate.cfm.
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