Minneapolis MN – Investigators have found what may be a design flaw in the bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis last week, in parts called gusset plates that attach girders, the National Transportation Safety Board said this afternoon.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The board said it had immediately notified the Federal Highway Administration and other agencies. Board investigations often take well over a year, and when the agency shares information before its findings are complete that is a sign that it believes the information could prevent other accidents if acted upon promptly.
In an announcement, the board said its investigators were “verifying the loads and stresses” on the plates as well as checking what they were made of and how strong they were.
Since workers have barely begun removing components from the wreckage, the discovery appears to have come from scrutiny of the paper records.
Keep in mind, when the bridge was built in 67, cars weighed over a thousands pounds more per auto. That could be hundreds of tons during rush hour. It’s possible the bridge would have collapsed decades ago, were it not for the downsizing of cars.