Proud to Live in the Great State of Minnesota—Update on the 35W Bridge Collapse

As a native Minnesotan I have felt fortunate to be a resident of the Twin Cities. I knew the phrase Minnesota Nice was more than a slogan dreamed up by the Explore Minnesota tourism board. Minnesota Nice was a way of life. Sure we have road rage and drunk drivers in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Our state congress is divided left and right, just like the rest of the states in the union. But as Minnesotans, we face adversity together. And two weeks ago, we had an opportunity to share this wonderful aspect of Minnesota life with the world.
Eyes and cameras from around the world were on one small section of our state where Interstate 35W crossed the mighty Mississippi into Minneapolis two weeks back. It was a tragedy on many levels when the bridge with nearly 100 vehicles in the process of crossing, one a packed school bus, collapsed into the river. News media from around the US sent their top talking heads directly to the scene. The big names like Matt Lauer and Katie Couric stayed for only one day as I am certain the story wasn’t sensational enough. No terrorism. No political bashing. No looting.

The Minnesota 35W Bridge story was of heroism and bravery. It was a model of how a system should work. First responders came from communities all over the Twin Cities to help. Nearby citizens left the safety of homes, businesses and cars. They ran toward the danger to assist people from the water or out of a vehicle. The people affected were from many different social classes and nationalities. There were children and elderly, native Minnesotans and new immigrants. There were children. There were handicapped people. Minnesotans young and old helped each other. Few ran away from the bridge. Most were running toward it.

In the first few days of the tragedy, local, state and federal politicians stood together representing Minnesota as a united front. They continue to work to find the cause and plan to rebuild. Though the political spin is starting, for the most part Minnesotan’s are united in understanding what happened.

Yesterday, a walking bridge near Dinkytown by the UofM campus opened briefly. Many hoped for a glimpse of the bridge that we all drove over without a second thought just weeks ago. At this point, 90+ vehicles have been removed but 2 people are still known to be missing. Just yesterday two more victims were located in vehicles taken from the Mississippi bringing the official death toll to 11. The Hennepin County Sheriff, Rich Staneck, closed the bridge in respect for those still missing. Though he didn’t come out and say it directly, family members shouldn’t have to watch their loved ones recovered on YouTube. The bridge will remain closed until all known missing are recovered. Minnesotans understand and can wait.

If you are considering a move to the great state of Minnesota, you will be welcomed. Remember “Minnesota Nice” is not just a slogan, it is a way of life.


If you are relocating to Minnesota, are looking for Homes for Sale in the north and east Twin Cities metro area and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. I specialize in acreage properties! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.


Photo courtesy of David Wetzel Photography.

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Minnesota Tragedy—35W Bridge Collapses over Mississippi!

I have traveled over the 35W Bridge into Minneapolis countless times since receiving my drivers license decades ago. When I worked in Edina in the south metro, I commuted from North St. Paul on a daily basis over that bridge. I have been stuck in rush hour traffic inching along that stretch of roadway. As of late, it has only been the periodic trip to Minneapolis for a Twins game or visit to the Guthrie Theater that has had my family on that bridge. Knowing that the Minnesota Twins have a 7:05 start time at the Metrodome, no doubt that the traffic snarl included families headed to a fun evening.

Fortunately, my family was home at 6 pm Wednesday evening. My son and husband were contemplating setting up the pitching machine for a batting practice to get ready for the state baseball tournament this weekend. But as we heard rumbles of thunder and the sky turned dark, I went inside to catch the news for a weather radar map to give us an indication of whether or not we would be getting a much needed rain shower. At first it was just a breaking news note that part of the 35W Bridge collapsed over the Mississippi and updates would follow. I went out to tell my family not to set up the machine as we were in for a storm. And I think they just said that part of 35 had collapsed over the river by Washington Avenue. (It just didn't seem real to me yet.)

When I got back inside to see if they had additional reports. The news helicopters were showing the first pictures of the area. As there were so few vehicles visible, the initial reports were of light traffic on the bridge. There must not have been a baseball game was my inital thought. The reporters noted that it was the tail end of rush hour.

Soon interviews from the survivors painted a different picture with bumper to bumper traffic moving at 10 mph across a bridge with no where to go. When the reporters said that the Twins game was going to continue as scheduled to avoid sending additional vehicles into an already crowded and confused scene, my heart sunk. This was a worst case scenario!

What a tragedy! I know if we had Twins tickets we would have been on that bridge in that traffic along with the hundred or so other vehicles affected. I am proud to be a Minnesotan as so many good Samaritans came from everywhere to assist those in need on the bridge without a thought to their own safety. Now, though thankful that my family is safe, I my thoughts and prayers are with those victims and survivors of this tragic event.