Today's Most Popular Video
Jul 27, 2008 10:43 pm US/Central
Driver Tells Story Of Car Hit By Falling Concrete
(WCCO)
-
-
Traffic had to be diverted while inspectors from MnDOT investigated the damage.
CBS
-
-
Traffic backed up as it was diverted from passing under the bridge.
MnDOT
-
-
Inspectors quickly determined that the bridge was safe to cross.
MnDOT
A father and 8-year-old daughter were on their way home from a day in Minneapolis when concrete chunks fell from the Maryland Avenue Bridge in St. Paul.
He was driving about 55 miles an hour down the Interstate, when he saw a huge chunk of concrete falling. He had no time to react, he said. He closed his eyes and just hoped he and his daughter would be OK.
The chunk of concrete was six feet by nine feet by one inch thick. It actually fell in pieces, and one of those pieces hit the car right on the hood.
He believes, if he would have been driving just a bit faster, maybe even just 56 or 57 miles an hour, that the concrete might have hit his windshield and severely hurt him and his daughter.
They went to the hospital just to get checked out, and now both are doing OK.
Another car just behind him got hit with another piece of concrete, and that piece hit the driver's windshield.
The Minnesota State Patrol closed the interstate for several hours as MnDOT crews moved in to do their work.
"Bridge inspection crews checked the entire underside of the deck, found some other areas where the concrete was starting to deteriorate, possibly could have dropped in the future," said MnDOT spokesperson Kent Bernard.
Crews took a jackhammer to that area, knocking off additional concrete that was in danger of falling. More crews will be out in the next few days.
As it is one of the structurally deficient bridges in the state, MnDOT plans to start taking bids in six years to replace the bridge.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Fireworks Truck Explodes, Barge Aflame
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
