I-5 bridge collapse

cashto · Post by **cashto** » Fri May 24, 2013 3:18 am

Not too far from here. Pretty much the only corridor between Seattle and Canada.

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Report-I-5...-208758631.html

germloucks · Post by **germloucks** » Fri May 24, 2013 5:23 am

Good thing i live south in Puyallup.

As if traffic wasnt already bad.

Mastametz · Post by **Mastametz** » Fri May 24, 2013 5:30 am

I drove over it this morning

Broodwich · Post by **Broodwich** » Fri May 24, 2013 8:55 pm

haha i dont think insurance covers that!
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-575860...tractor-trailer

Mastametz · Post by **Mastametz** » Fri May 24, 2013 9:23 pm

It's kind of a big deal. It's I-5. It's going to cause insane congestion around the surrounding like 15 miles for months, and cause huge delays and incur huge cost for any truck shipments to/from Canada, and other shipments since there is a small shipping airport near there, too.
There's going to be enormous semi trucks trying to manage tiny city streets to circumnavigate the bridge. It's going to be a cluster$#@!.

Broodwich · Post by **Broodwich** » Fri May 24, 2013 10:48 pm

you know theres 3 other bridges within like 5 miles. Im no engineer but I'm gonig to hazard a guess and say they can all take the traffic

Mastametz · Post by **Mastametz** » Fri May 24, 2013 10:55 pm

It's a small town. Never more than 2 lanes in any given direction, usually one. On and offramps are short. Some distances between traffic lights are only long enough to fit one a single semi. Mount Vernon has a lot of narrow, one-way streets, too.
There are ways around but the act of getting on and off the freeway to access them - especially for big vehicles - is going to be insane.
Not to mention how much farming equipment is towed around that area since it's surrounded by farmlands.
I lived like 3 miles from there for years.
I am currently looking for a new place to live and am now not considering that area - or anything beyond it - specifically because of this event and how much hassle it's going to cause.

cashto · Post by **cashto** » Fri May 24, 2013 11:21 pm

Broodwich wrote:QUOTE (Broodwich @ May 24 2013, 03:48 PM) you know theres 3 other bridges within like 5 miles. Im no engineer but I'm gonig to hazard a guess and say they can all take the traffic

No way the SR 536 bridge is going to take 70,000 cars a day ... it can barely take the traffic it's got now. Burlington Blvd I don't know anything about, but I'm sure it's busy, and the only other option is through Sedro Woolley and 10 miles out of your way in total.

It's crazy to think ... all you have to do is take out just seven bridges, and suddenly Bellingham goes from being 90 minutes away to a 7 hour drive.

Broodwich · Post by **Broodwich** » Fri May 24, 2013 11:58 pm

Are you saying structurally or just that its going to be bumper to bumper? i5 up there isnt more than 2 lanes each way anyway

Ozricosis · Post by **Ozricosis** » Sat May 25, 2013 12:14 pm

Chiming in and saying, there are alternate routes. It still $#@!ed my faster driving plans for guaymas islands but eff it. nobody died.