I want to continue to keep you all in the loop about the latest developments with the 35W bridge collapse. In addition to preparing for our wedding this Sunday, I've been busy with emails, phone calls, conference calls, and visits to the bridge site itself.
There are a lot of issues for the legislature to deal with in the aftermath of the bridge disaster. We are just now beginning to get a scope of the challenges ahead, and 3 of my 4 committee assignments are directly involved: Transportation, Public Safety, and Energy (the University's steam heating plant is 2 blocks from the bridge site, and its rail service line is partially disabled by the debris).
In this diary:
- State Emergency Resolution
- Conference Call on Sunday
- My Site Visit Today
STATE EMERGENCY RESOLUTION
As a "peacetime emergency," the Governor can declare a formal State of Emergency for up to five days. Today, the State Executive Committee (the Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General and State Auditor) formally extended the State of Emergency to 30 days. Any further extension must be approved by the legislature. You can read the statute here:
http://ros.leg.mn/...
The Governor asked for the continued emergency status in case the state needs to "act quickly" in matters such as rescue or response. Legislative staff are working on clarifying what processes and procedures apply during a State of Emergency.
CONFERENCE CALL SUNDAY
Speaker of the House Margaret Kelliher set up a conference call for all legislators on Sunday. Included were:
- MnDOT
- Department of Public Safety
- Mpls. Mayor R.T. Rybak
- Mpls Emergency Services Director Rocco Forte
- Speaker Kelliher, and
- Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller.
The call was a good opportunity for legislators to hear directly from those involved in the disaster response.
Some highlights from the call:
Everyone emphasized the human impact of the tragedy. With 5 dead, 5 critically injured, and 8 still injured, many families are just now coming to terms with the loss of their friends and loved ones.
Both Mayor Rybak and Mr. Forte emphasized the critical importance of the comprehensive planning, training, drilling and review of the Response Plan. Especially important was the availability of the 800 MHz high-powered radio network that allowed all jurisdictions responding to the emergency to communicate seamlessly.
Central to the coordinated response is the confidence that a single, clearly-identified person was in charge (Mr. Forte). The relationships built over years of training, drilling and planning paid off well, as well as the multiple investments in equipment - both in the field and for communication technology (you may remember that radio incompatability was a key problem at the World Trade Center on 9/11). Noone could recall a single argument over "turf" at any moment during the response.
MnDOT was asked several critical questions about the impact of the road-deck construction project on the bridge failure. The forensic engineers on site will be answering these questions methodically and with great care over the next months. A $1.5 Million structural remedy project (adding steel plates to the bridge) was planned for this fall and winter, to minimize the impact on barge traffic on the river; the money was available from existing funds.
Perhaps the item of greatest interest raised during the call was the bridge reconstruction. MnDOT has already alerted materials suppliers around the country that they plan to start reconstruction as soon as possible, and to make more steel, concrete and rebar available in the region. In addition, MnDOT has asked teams to submit their qualifications to conduct the design and construction of a new bridge by this Wednesday, and MnDOT will narrow the selection down to 3 or 4 teams for a complete bid to be awarded in mid-to-late September, with a planned opening of late 2008.
MnDOT is hoping to learn from California, Louisiana and Oklahoma disasters, and will use relaxed permitting requirements to speed up the process. The legislature will soon receive from MnDOT a list of these relaxed regulations so we can properly determine our role in the reconstruction process.
Last, it looks like a Special Session is highly likely after Labor Day. A House and Senate select committee will be formed next week to begin the process of public oversight to ensure that no such disaster happens again in Minnesota.
SITE VISIT TODAY
I personally toured the bridge site with the Transportation Committees today. It was sobering to stand within 30 feet of the folded steel and the dozens of destroyed cars. More humbling was seeing the last foot or two of cars, the remainders of which were submerged in the river. As many as 13 people lost their lives here - people who were just headed home to their loved ones or out to teach folk dancing to their neighbors.
I think we all alternated between being amazed by the sheer force of the collapse and being overwhelmed with the emotion of the place.
As the only member of the House Public Safety Committee on the tour, I had the chance to visit the Emergency Operations Center in the basement of City Hall. It was my true honor to thank every one of them, Rocco Forte especially, for the great work they've done over the past 5 days.
Mr. Forte and I spoke briefly about what worked so well, about his concerns over the next few days and weeks, and about the lessons we can apply around the state. One particular strength that really stood out for me - next to the central communications room (with cameras on the bridge / perimeter, dozens of phones and computers, white boards and other projectors) was a separate room, similarly equipped (sans cameras) devoted solely to planning each next phase. Thus, those responsible for managing the existing phase were able to concentrate fully on the task at hand, while smaller task forces could brainstorm and organize the anticipated challenges about to come. The planning teams would then report back to Mr. Forte, who would approve or amend their plan, and the implementation would then shift to the central comm. room, and a new planning team would set to work on the next phase ahead.
I hope this information continues to be helpful. We are awaiting word from the inspection of the Osceola bridge on MN Hwy 243, of similar design to the 35W bridge that collapsed. We are also waiting for the debris removal to begin at the 35W bridge site, and we hope for the recovery soon of the 8 persons still missing.
Again, our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the dead, the missing, and the injured. This has been a terrible tragedy for all of Minnesota, but a very personal tragedy for each of these families.
My best to you and to your families,
Jeremy