Strib: “MnDOT feared cracking in bridge but opted against making the repairs”

As you read this, do remember that MnDOT’s head is Carol Molnau, Tim Pawlenty’s right-hand woman.

The money grafs:

Structural deficiencies in the Interstate 35W bridge that collapsed Wednesday were so serious that the Minnesota Department of Transportation last winter considered bolting steel plates to its supports to prevent cracking in fatigued metal, according to documents and interviews with agency officials.The department went so far as to ask contractors for advice on the best way to approach such a task, which could have been opened for bids later this year.

MnDOT considered the steel plating at the recommendation of consulting engineers who told the agency that there were two ways to keep the bridge safe: Make repairs throughout the 40-year-old steel arched bridge or inspect it closely enough to find flaws that might become cracks and then bolt the steel plating only on those sections.

…

A construction industry official who met with MnDOT about shortcomings on the I-35W bridge told the Star Tribune that there have been ongoing concerns among some MnDOT employees about the safety of this and other similar bridges.”There were people over there that were deathly afraid that this kind of tragedy was going to be visited on us,” the industry official said. “There were people in the department that were screaming to have these replaced. MnDOT has been trying to move these ‘fracture critical’ bridges up in their [budget] sequencing so something like this wouldn’t happen,” the source said.

…

Some close observers of MnDOT continued to speculate Thursday that the decision to monitor instead of fix deficiencies in the bridge was driven by financial concerns. Dave Semerad, CEO of the Minnesota chapter of the Associated General Contractors, said everything MnDOT does is based on cost-benefit analysis.

“Let’s face it. They don’t have any money,” Semerad said. “At the end of the day, that’s the issue. This is indicative of a long-term pattern.”

Multiply that times fifty, and that’s what twelve years of a Republican Congress — nearly half of which was spent with a Republican in the White House — has given us. Minnesota’s situation is exacerbated because of the Republican anti-taxes-for-the-rich governors, but similar situations exist nationwide.

Big fat hat tip (or hit tap!) to Jeff Fecke.