Disasters

What does safety cost?
Catastrophes, such as the I-35W bridge collapse and 9/11, raise the question of how much the government should invest in the safety and security of its population. But safety may come at a cost too great for the government to bear. Panelists discussed the issue along with members of the public at Minnesota Public Radio's UBS Forum.
Historians ponder how to document the bridge collapse
One part of the 35W bridge collapse story that is quietly proceeding is how to best chronicle, and remember, this event. MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Matt Anderson, a curator with the Minnesota Historical Society.
Mayor R.T. Rybak on the post-collapse Minneapolis
In the aftermath of the I-35W bridge collapse, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has had to realign his budget priorities to consider road maintenance and repair. Now, he's hoping a special session at the Legislature will help solve some of the city's financial burdens.
As Minnesotans have increasingly learned over the last two weeks, a major factor in the deterioration of roads and bridges is vehicle traffic and its weight. And one class of vehicles travels most of the state without any weight restrictions: farm vehicles.
Lawmakers hammer out plans for a new bridge
State transportation officials have unveiled a preliminary design for a new I-35W bridge. Now, state lawmakers discuss the reconstruction plans in a joint House-Senate transportation committee meeting. Midday previews the legislative hearings.
What do bridge inspectors look for?
Two high-profile bridges span the St. Louis River and the Duluth Harbor, connecting that city with Superior, Wisc. Each year, one of those bridges gets a routine safety examination. But in the wake of the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis two weeks ago, both get a look this summer.