Hours after the collapse we were assured that it was not a terrorist attack, however, we the citizens are still wondering what happened. Well, recently we have learned that the bridge was deemed structurally deficient; meaning the bridge could not carry the traffic it was designed to accommodate. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that a bridge that was built in 1967 probably was not designed to support 167,000 or more cars a day. Thus, similar to the levies in Katrina that could no longer withstand the waters from the floods, the 35W bridge could no longer withstand the stress of the vehicles that it was never designed to accomodate. Proper funding could have solved this problem and likley prevented the casualties that occured because of the collaspe.
Highway repairs are funded in part by state and federal tax dollars. When we as tax payers lobby to avoid new taxes or higher taxes we neglect projects such as maintainance and repair of the 35W bridge.
As tax payers we often complain about higher taxes or more taxes. As we have learned from this event and the Katrina tragedy, a lack of funding has left our infrastructures ill equipped to handle the tragedies that they were designed to prevent.
I do not support unnecessary taxes, however, I do support taxes that may save lives and prevent horrible tragedies like Katrina and more recently the collapse of the 35W bridge in Minneapolis, MN. So I would say next time a politician campaigns on the slogan "No new taxes" think about these tragedies and ask yourself is it worth it?
Thoughtfully,
CRF
4 comments:
I agree. I stand on the fact that they knew the brigde should have been remodeled 2 years ago, but why didn't it??
I also am on a more emotional level when it comes to this tragedy. I can't stop thinking about..."what if it was me...what if it was me??" I can't stop thanking God! We are blessed! Anything could happen anywhere. And who would think a brigde would collapse. God is telling this world something.
I agree. But we as tax payers how do we know where are money is being spent? If this bridge needed to be replaced that should have been done first inside of trying to repair crackes and pot holes. We got to do better.
Demanding transparency in how our tax dollars are being spent is a conversation that needs to happen before our state representatives can ask us to support higher property, gas and income taxes.
I heard that the president already gave $250 million to help aid the bridge disaster and another $5 million for other bridges to be checked and repaired or whatever, but people were eating him up b/c it's strange that he didn't react so quickly when the Katrina disaster occurred. Maybe Kanye West was right, he don't like us!!!
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