Friday, August 3, 2007

Like a (troubled) bridge over...

Was there any doubt that the focus of the media would move toward bridge safety after the horrific collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis? You can see some national coverage here and here. Those of us who are members of the media could tell you it was a natural move.

If the bridges are really as bad as the government thinks, and the media is reporting, maybe some funds should be diverted from other sources to fix them. According to MSNBC, which is linked above, U.S. highway funds are not keeping up with the needs of the system.

The government also said the Minneapolis incident was not the norm.

There is no question roads are a huge, and constant, expense. Especially in the northern states that experience all four seasons. Asphalt, concrete and steel cannot stand-up against the consistent change from extreme warm to cold temperatures. As we build more roads to relieve traffic gridlock, we have to also account for the increased maintenance.

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