The City, the River, the Bridge : Before and After the Minneapolis Bridge Collapse

On August 1, 2007, just after 6:00 p.m., during the evening rush hour in Minneapolis, the 1,900-foot-long, eight-lane I-35W bridge buckled and crashed into the Mississippi River. The unimaginable had happened right on the doorstep of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. Many of the first responders were from the University, persevering in the midst of chaos and disbelief. In the ensuing weeks, research and engineering teams from the University reviewed the wreckage, searched for causes, and began planning for the future. The City, the River, the Bridge represents another set of responses to the disaster. Stemming from a 2008 University of Minnesota symposium on the bridge collapse and the building of a new bridge, it addresses the ramifications of the disaster from the perspectives of history, engineering, architecture, water science, community-based journalism, and geography. Contributors examine the factors that led to the collapse, the lessons learned from the disaster and the response, the policy and planning changes that have occurred or are likely to occur, and the impact on the city and the Mississippi River. The City, the River, the Bridge demonstrates the University's commitment to issues that concern the community and shares insights on public questions of city building, infrastructure, and design policy. Contributors: John O. Anfinson; Roberto Ballarini; Heather Dorsey; Thomas Fisher; Minmao Liao; Judith A. Martin; Roger Miller; Mark Pedelty; Deborah L. Swackhamer; Melissa Thompson. Stemming From A 2008 University Of Minnesota Symposium On The Bridge Collapse And The Building Of A New Bridge, These Stories Address The Ramifications Of The Disaster From The Perspectives Of History, Engineering, Architecture, Water Science, Community-based Journalism, And Geography. Contributors Examine The Factors That Led To The Collapse, The Lessons Learned From The Disaster And The Response, The Policy And Planning Changes That Have Occurred Or Are Likely To Occur, And The Impact On The City And The Mississippi River. From Publisher Description. This Dynamic Culture Of Learning / E. Thomas Sullivan -- University Voices In The Community / Patrick Nunnally -- Pt. I. The Bridge: Object, Metaphor, Process. Fracture-critical: The I-35w Bridge Collapse As Metaphor And Omen / Thomas Fisher -- The Infamous Gusset Plates / Roberto Ballarini And Minmao Liao -- Building The New Bridge: Process And Politics In City-building / Patrick Nunnally -- Pt. Ii. The City: Neighborhoods And Transportation. Neighborhoods Confront A Disaster Aftermath / Judith A. Martin ; From Here To There To Nowhere: Competing Philosophies Of Planning / Roger Miller -- Pt. Iii. The River: After The Collapse. A Fickle Partner: Minneapolis And The Mississippi River / John O. Anfinson ; A Bridge To Somewhere / Mark Pedelty, Heather Dorsey, And Melissa Thompson ; Old Man River / Deborah L. Swackhamer -- Reimagining The Mississippi / Patrick Nunnally. Patrick Nunnally, Editor ; Preface By E. Thomas Sullivan. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. CONTENTS......Page 6 PREFACE: This Dynamic Culture of Learning......Page 8 INTRODUCTION: University Voices in the Community......Page 12 Part I. The Bridge: Object, Metaphor, Process......Page 18 CHAPTER ONE: Fracture-Critical: The I-35w Bridge Collapse as Metaphor and Omen......Page 20 CHAPTER TWO: The Infamous Gusset Plates......Page 38 CHAPTER THREE: Building the New Bridge: Process and Politics in City-Building......Page 52 Part II. The City: Neighborhoods and Transportation......Page 72 CHAPTER FOUR: Neighborhoods Confront a Disaster Aftermath......Page 74 CHAPTER FIVE: From Here to There to Nowhere: Competing Philosophies of Planning......Page 94 Part III. The River: After the Collapse......Page 120 CHAPTER SIX: A Fickle Partner: Minneapolis and the Mississippi River......Page 122 CHAPTER SEVEN: A Bridge to Somewhere......Page 156 CHAPTER EIGHT: Old Man River......Page 172 CONCLUSION: Reimagining the Mississippi......Page 182 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 196 CONTRIBUTORS......Page 198 CONTENTS 6 PREFACE: This Dynamic Culture of Learning 8 INTRODUCTION: University Voices in the Community 12 Part I. The Bridge: Object, Metaphor, Process 18 CHAPTER ONE: Fracture-Critical: The I-35w Bridge Collapse as Metaphor and Omen 20 CHAPTER TWO: The Infamous Gusset Plates 38 CHAPTER THREE: Building the New Bridge: Process and Politics in City-Building 52 Part II. The City: Neighborhoods and Transportation 72 CHAPTER FOUR: Neighborhoods Confront a Disaster Aftermath 74 CHAPTER FIVE: From Here to There to Nowhere: Competing Philosophies of Planning 94 Part III. The River: After the Collapse 120 CHAPTER SIX: A Fickle Partner: Minneapolis and the Mississippi River 122 CHAPTER SEVEN: A Bridge to Somewhere 156 CHAPTER EIGHT: Old Man River 172 CONCLUSION: Reimagining the Mississippi 182 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 196 CONTRIBUTORS 198 isbn,9780816667666,(hc,:,alk.,paper),isbn,9780816667673,(pb,:,alk.,paper) University of Minnesota Press This dynamic culture of learning / E. Thomas Sullivan Introduction : university voices in the community / Patrick Nunnally The bridge : object, metaphor, process Fracture-critical : the I-35W bridge collapse as metaphor and omen / Thomas fisher The infamous gusset plates / Roberto Ballarini and Minmao liao Building the new bridge : process and politics in city-building / Patrick Nunnally The city : neighborhoods and transportation Neighborhoods confront a disaster aftermath / Judith A. Martin From here to there to nowhere : competing philosophies of planning / Roger Miller The river : after the collapse A fickle partner : Minneapolis and the Mississippi River / John O. Anfinson A bridge to somewhere / Mark Pedelty, Heather Dorsey, and Melissa Thompson Old man river / Deborah L. Swackhamer Conclusion : reimagining the Mississippi / Patrick Nunnally. Exploring the university's role in understanding how disasters impact communities.