Friday, August 03, 2007

America's long Ignored failing infrastructure!


As we now know The interstate highway bridge that collapsed into the Mississippi River had been rated "structurally deficient" for 17 years and was regularly inspected by state engineers, who spotted corroded bearings and stress fractures but remained confident that the bridge was safe, authorities said Thursday.
A federal inspection in 1990 declared the Interstate 35W bridge deficient, noting a history of fractures along the plates that hold together structural arches. The bearings, which hold up the main trusses, were corroded. And the "approach spans" — the portions of the bridge rising up from both banks — had developed stress fractures.
Another federal inspection gave the bridge — the busiest in the state — 50 points out of a possible 100 for structural stability. That gave it a rating of "structurally deficient." A federal report from 2005 found about 75,000 bridges nationwide in that category — including 1,140 other bridges in Minnesota. Authorities emphasized that such bridges do not necessarily need urgent repair and are not deemed an imminent danger." 'Structurally deficient' means some portions of the bridge need to be scheduled for repair or replacement. It doesn't mean that the bridge is unsafe," U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters said.
As far as I am concerned with the Federal Government having given that Bridge a failing grade which a 50 is to me, its ultimate allowed failure and resultant death is the direct responsibility of the Government. Once they step into a situation it is up to them to see that things are done and done right. It is a fallacy today but I always thought the Federal Government was our ultimate Defender, not today. This is just one of 75,000 bridges in that categoty. Can you Imagine?
Anyway now that once again an avoidable crisis has occurred Bush now promises a robust Federal response. Yeah right, just like Katrina where that robust Federal response went in the pockets of his cronies due to his insistance on no oversight so they can rip us off.
Are those people supposed to feel comforted? Promising Federal money may work but only if its management and control is kept on a State level and with "oversight".
I think they can manage a bridge but not much more.
I am very concerned when I see the Nations entire infrastructure failing with a medical system that can barely function on a good day and a Federal Government that cannot function period.
I am reminded that during Katrina Bush told us you cannot put first responders and pre position emergency goods in harms way. Then with his own State faced with Hurricane Rita all of a sudden it was okay to pre postion supplies and personnel in the line of an on coming hurricane/natural disaster. However we learned from Rita that this too is worthless and we are increasingly trapped and on our own when facing a large crisis natural or man made. With Rita people were dying because the routes out were clogged. People ran out of gas and food and there was no escape route or medical care and supplies.
All this just highlights the fact that We are in serious trouble if we have a concerted terrorist attack or a real bad disaster whether it is man made or natural. Are we ever in trouble and on our own!
James Joiner
Gardner, Ma

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Its criminal on every level. And they built a damn Billionaire a new baseball stadium with what they took from fixing their infrastructure in MN.

jmsjoin said...

Sonofagun! You don't hear that said at all. I am surprised no Democrat or anyone else has raised that point.
It is criminal. They found the same thing in New Orleans where they let the levees fall apart and spent the millions instead on fountains, gambling casinos, and other improvements for the wealthy. I can't friggen stand it. Now Bush is promising to help Minneapolis the way he helped Katrina victims. How the hell does he constantly get away with this.

enigma4ever said...

really really fine post...and yeah, we ALL are NOLA...and we better figure it out...cuz NO ONE else seems to get it...They all need to be Impeached and Indicted and Imprisoned- they are Criminals- Knowing Endangerment and Gross Criminal Negligence.....truthfully we don't know how much more of this dangerous incompetence we can take.....

( I listened to the NTSB hearing today- the left side of the birdge shifted 50 feet to the East- good lord....that is HUGE...)

Keep Blogging it....recording the Incompetence- it matters..

jmsjoin said...

Thanks Enigma!
We are all nola. What amazes me is some people will never get it. I am a survivalist and can raise and keep my own veggies and meats and am 100% mentally prepared to take care of things and live off whatever if that is the case and I 100% expect it to be.
My wife divorced me when I told her what was going to happen and the way I felt. It is going to happen.
We are increasingly told we are on our own at least for a while if there is a crisis . There will be and we will be.
The Government can not even function let alone do anything right. They want the job but not the responsibility.
As I said, we are increasingly on our own, the Government is taken care of, and the military will live to fight another day.
Together they can start over. With all that has been allowed to happen to our society and our infrastructure coupled with this still just developing war to end all not wars but civilizations someone will be left in the mess of a planet we call earth but if it can still sustain whoever is left it will be a small group left to start over.
What a mess. Just watch what is getting ready to happen and no one wants to avoid it because they all think they can win it militarily.

Anon-Paranoid said...

patriot...
You said and I quote...

"All this just highlights the fact that We are in serious trouble if we have a concerted terrorist attack or a real bad disaster whether it is man made or natural. Are we ever in trouble and on our own!"

We've been on our own for the past 6 years and we are in trouble.

Like when we were a part of the British Empire it was called Taxation without Representation.

Today it's called a Dictatorship.

We are in deep trouble and the American People better wake up and realize it soon.

God Bless.

Larry said...

Bush is on video blaming the Democrats for the bridge collapse, when in reality the government pulls back funds to ststes, to use for wars and arming our enemies.

Meanwhile states raise taxes to build huge dome stadiums for the wealthy to enjoy their favorite sports in lavish box seats.

And the nation falls apart, and people die.

jmsjoin said...

anon-paranoid
Damn I developed connection problems last night and just got it resolved, man! Anyway, I have been trying to wake up people for years. That is why I started writing about the truth as to what is happening today and why.
People in large still refuse to wake up and realize how much trouble we are in. It is funny you said what you did because I have always said we must come together once again or we are done. People usually get mad at me for advocating an uprising but that is what it is going to take to get Congress to act or get anything concrete for we the people done.
In 1776 the problem was without "the Brits" today it is within "our own Government" and we must come together as a people, realize this, and take care of our America and quickly or we are in serious irrivocable trouble.
Anyway, really glad to see your comment. Let's do something?

jmsjoin said...

larry
Sorry I took so long. I just got my computer problems fixed. You are consistently right! I am sick of Bush and his damn partisanly political mouth.
The Federal Government knew that bridge was a danger and did nothing. As far as I'm concerned that makes this their responsibility.
Of course the chief idiot is promising big help like he did with Katrina and look at that mess.
The idiot is there right now capitalizing off this crisis. I can't stand his crap. I think the Fed's can handle this if they fund it and leave it to the State to get it done.
Congress is touting how quickly they came up with the $250 million to get repairs started but fail to say that is merely a downpayment. Let's see where the Billions needed comes from and if this project tuns corrupt or not.

two crows said...

I saw on CNN last night that fully 1/3 [that's ONE THIRD] of our entire infrastructure is at risk.

with all money going for tax cuts and the war in Iraq that never did anything to us except own oil that our gov't wanted, there's no money for [or interest in] fixing out bridges, dams, railroads, highways, etc. etc. etc.

this country is one huge accident waiting to happen. the bridge in Minneapolis was the beginning. and when a dam bursts, it will take out whole cities.

jmsjoin said...

Hi two crows
You're right, it isn't just bridges it is everything. But these idiots will continue to play childish Political games as our America is not their concern. They are merely worried about themselves.
It just blows me away that the chief idiot keeps insisting on more and permanent tax cuts while complaining we are spending too much money and nothing has gotten done period since the idiot.
Minnneapolis was just the beginning and Bush has made the most of that crises too by promising a robust response like Katrina,Hmph! You just saw my other response to you. None of any off this will be turned around. All we can do is hunker down, be happy with yourself, and hope we are some of the survivors of this upcoming horror.