tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41159331147441755922024-02-20T13:52:21.914-05:00Critical InfrastructureA weblog dedicated to Critical Infrastructure issues in the United StatesEva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-60281759220220297862007-09-04T18:29:00.001-04:002007-09-04T18:33:30.233-04:00Hearing on US Structurally Deficient BridgesThe U.S. house of Representatives' Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday (9/5/07) on Structurally Deficient Bridges in the United States. Witnesses scheduled to testify include the Secretary of Transportation, the Mayor of the City of Minneapolis, representatives from Minnesota DOT, and others from state departments of transportation, counties, and mdaltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13153115667076431082noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-34808361611443263272007-08-22T23:30:00.000-04:002007-08-22T23:38:05.665-04:00ASCE Update on I-35W Bridge CollapseThe National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a second update on their investigation of the I-35 W bridge collapse. A new facet of the investigation is the examination of the de-icing system that was installed on the bridge, the chemical used in this de-icing system, and the properties of this chemical (whether or not it is corrosive). This de-icing system had components installed mdaltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13153115667076431082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-56586492038320931412007-08-21T11:27:00.000-04:002007-08-21T11:28:33.761-04:00Engineers Sought for Expert Opinions and Advice on Public Engineering and InfrastructureAmerican Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio is seeking qualified engineers to provide expert opinions and advice on public engineering and infrastructure. "We're still grappling with the implications of the collapse of I-35W here in the Twin Cities," says Lea Coon of Public Insight Radio at APM/MPR. "However, our on-going coverage of the collapse is looking at the state of public infrastructure mdaltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13153115667076431082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-88282755266469035152007-08-20T17:20:00.000-04:002007-08-20T17:23:07.151-04:00ASCE Update on I-35W Bridge CollapseThe City Council and the Mayor of the City of Minneapolis adopted a "Statement of Principles" about what they believe the new I-35 replacement bridge project should contain. These were adopted on Friday August 17th and are available at:http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/mayor/docs/35W_state_princ.pdfMinnesota DOT (MN-DOT) has hosted several public meetings on the new I-35W replacement bridge mdaltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13153115667076431082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-89481618189611451872007-08-15T00:31:00.003-04:002007-08-15T00:34:56.175-04:00MN-DOT Public Open House to Discuss Design-Build Project to Replace I-35W BridgeMinnesota DOT (MN-DOT) announced that a Public Open House will be held on Thursday August 16th to discuss the design-build project to replace the I-35 W bridge. The public can also provide comments online at: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/i35wbridge/rebuild/index.htmlMN-DOT's proposed plans for the new I-35 W bridge include 10 lanes for the bridge (up from eight lanes on the previous bridge) with mdaltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13153115667076431082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-11286390833204950692007-08-14T22:55:00.000-04:002007-08-15T01:39:42.403-04:00ASCE Update on I-35W Bridge CollapseAug. 8, 2007--Minnesota DOT released today an edited video clip from a traffic camera that had previously not been shown to the public. The video is pointed south, away from the bridge, and then as traffic halts, it swings north to show where the bridge has just collapsed. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/i35wbridge/video/collapse2mins.wmv Minnesota DOT (MN-DOT) is stating that they will Eva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-9150943029717772302007-08-13T14:06:00.000-04:002007-08-13T14:22:22.185-04:00Additional Funds for Emergency Repairs and Reconstruction of the Interstate I-35 BridgeOn August 6, 2007, President Bush signed into law H.R. 3311, which authorizes additional funds for emergency repairs and reconstruction of the Interstate I-35 bridge located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that collapsed on August 1, 2007, and waives the limitation on emergency relief funds for those emergency repairs and reconstruction.C.Tehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03253843422522270493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-39439844871735074592007-08-13T01:49:00.000-04:002007-08-13T01:55:11.042-04:00Upkeep Of Security Devices A Burden Monday, August 13, 2007--In 2003, the FBI used a $25 million grant to give bomb squads across the nation state-of-the-art computer kits, enabling them to instantly share information about suspected explosives, including weapons of mass destruction.Four years later, half of the Washington area's squads can't communicate via the $12,000 kits, meant to be taken to the scene of potential Eva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-68364194756463659342007-08-10T21:35:00.000-04:002007-08-10T21:56:30.659-04:00$50M Available to MN for Clean-Up and Recovery WorkThe Secretary of Transportation announced today that she is making $50 million available to Minnesota "to pay for clean-up and recovery work, including clearing debris and re-routing traffic, as well as for design work on a new bridge." Also, she is making an additional $5 million available today to reimburse Minneapolis for the increased cost of transit operations during the time that the bridgemdaltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13153115667076431082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-63326499521556368732007-08-09T12:59:00.000-04:002007-08-09T13:02:16.371-04:00New York Company Indicted in Collapse of Big DigBOSTON, Aug. 8 — The supplier of the epoxy that federal officials have blamed for the collapse of a Big Dig tunnel was indicted today in the death of a motorist crushed by falling ceiling panels. The company, Powers Fasteners Inc., was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter. It is the first criminal charge in the tunnel debacle, which killed Milena Del Valle, 38, in July 2006 asEva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-63689085343751298972007-08-09T09:25:00.000-04:002007-08-09T09:30:05.785-04:00Potential Flaw Seen in Design of Fallen BridgeMINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 8 — Investigators have found what may be a design flaw in the bridge that collapsed here a week ago, in the steel parts that connect girders, raising safety concerns for other bridges around the country, federal officials said on Wednesday. The Federal Highway Administration swiftly responded by urging all states to take extra care with how much weight they place on bridges of Eva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-40634018497600956052007-08-06T22:56:00.000-04:002007-08-07T13:17:52.780-04:00DOT Updates re: I-35 W Bridge CollapseThe Secretary of Transportation has requested that the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation perform a rigorous review of the National Bridge Inspection Program. http://www.dot.gov/affairs/dot7507.htmThe most recent (2006) inspection report of the I-35 W bridge by Minnesota Department of Transportation (MN-DOT), containing detailed descriptions of the cracks found in certain areasmdaltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13153115667076431082noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-37897556320390439672007-08-05T12:03:00.000-04:002007-08-06T02:28:16.961-04:00I-35W Bridge Collapse EditorialsHere's a collection of editorials by the US press. There appear to be two themes: our nation's infrastructure is decidedly crumbling and our political will to adequately fund the repair and maintenance of that infrastructure is decidedly in question.Chiacgo TribuneNYTimesPioneer Press (Twin Cities.com)Popular MechanicsRochester, MN Post-BulletinWall Street JournalEva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-82749969866500364582007-08-03T18:08:00.001-04:002007-08-03T18:20:14.041-04:00FHWA DefinitionsAs a result of the I-35W bridge collapse, there has been much discussion regarding the definitions of 'structurally deficient' and 'functionally obsolete'. The designation of a bridge as structurally deficient or fucntionally obsolete has impact on decisions for bridge maintenance, rehabilitation, or replacement. The actual criteria for this determination is set by the FHWA and is not widely mdaltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13153115667076431082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-28105436099179981882007-08-02T11:38:00.000-04:002007-08-03T01:25:40.413-04:00I-35W Bridge Collapses During Afternoon Peak HourAugust 1, 2007--You can read about the I-35W bridge collapse at most of the major network websites (See links at right).Here is an FHWA Press Release dated Aug. 2, 2007:http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fsi35.htmHere is a security camera video of the collapse:http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/08/02/vosli.mn.i35w.bridge.collapse.side.view.cnnHere are photos of the collapse:http://Eva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-71350012078967002412007-07-14T16:41:00.000-04:002007-07-14T17:29:26.564-04:00National Hurricane Center-Recommended Storm Surge Safety Actions Minimize the distance you must travel to reach a safe location; the further you drive the higher the likelihood of encountering traffic congestion and other problems on the roadways. Select the nearest possible evacuation destination, preferably within your local area, and map out your route. Do not get on the road without a planned route, or a place to go. Eva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-68888504821455056362007-07-04T11:43:00.000-04:002007-07-04T11:47:47.656-04:00Storms Shift, Some Rivers Crest in Oklahoma function getSharePasskey() { return 'ex=1341288000&en=1ae2e05478c977cf&ei=5124';} function getShareURL() { return encodeURIComponent('http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Flooding.html'); } function getShareHeadline() { return encodeURIComponent('Storms Shift, Some Rivers Crest in Okla.'); } function getShareDescription() { return encodeURIComponent('MIAMI, Okla. (AP) -- Rain had Eva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-14599510678065386692007-05-31T00:48:00.001-04:002007-05-31T00:54:00.884-04:00With Financial Tactic, Corzine Would Keep Turnpike Public, Toll Increases and All function getSharePasskey() { return 'ex=1338177600&en=32ca876acdab4882&ei=5124';} function getShareURL() { return encodeURIComponent('http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/30/nyregion/30pike.html'); } function getShareHeadline() { return encodeURIComponent('With Financial Tactic, Corzine Would Keep Turnpike Public, Toll Increases and All'); } function getShareDescription() { return Eva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-35859001326657797422007-05-31T00:48:00.000-04:002007-08-20T14:04:22.907-04:00With Financial Tactic, Corzine Would Keep Turnpike Public, Toll Increases and AllBy KEN BELSONPublished by the New York Times, May 30, 2007Who knew that the New Jersey Turnpike, the state’s congested artery that commuters love to hate, was so beloved?In the months since Gov. Jon S. Corzine began exploring ways to capitalize on the state’s assets and pay off billions of dollars in debt, a coalition of legislators, environmentalists and drivers have come out against any plan Eva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-64213064925591856082007-05-07T12:29:00.000-04:002007-05-09T08:31:32.965-04:00Critic Says Levee Repairs Show Signs of FlawsNew York Times, May 7, 2007, By JOHN SCHWARTZSome of the most celebrated levee repairs by the Army Corps of Engineers after Hurricane Katrina are already showing signs of serious flaws, a leading critic of the corps says.The critic, Robert G. Bea, a professor of engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, said he encountered several areas ofStephan Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13349293653101301820noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-12107266992854870462007-05-05T16:47:00.000-04:002007-05-05T17:28:37.026-04:009 Die as Tornado Tears Apart Kansas TownBy THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 4:33 p.m. ET, May 5, 2007 GREENSBURG, Kan. (AP) -- Most of this southwest Kansas town was destroyed by a tornado, part of a violent storm system blamed for at least nine deaths, officials said Saturday amid warnings of more severe weather. It may take days for emergency crews to remove all the victims -- dead and alive -- from the rubble of homes andEva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-17763517467572298972007-05-02T00:41:00.000-04:002007-05-02T08:36:21.025-04:00Dealing with Sensitive Security InformationOne of the most difficult challenges to providing security for critical infrastructure is the management of information about it that could fall into the wrong hands. Since the 9/11 attacks, maps and other "Sensitive Security Information" or "SSI" documents related to dams, electric power grids, nuclear power plants, transportation networks, etc. have been removed voluntarily from Eva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-22035880027915452822007-04-25T12:16:00.000-04:002007-05-09T08:32:32.520-04:00N.O. Leadership lacking, report saysN.O. leadership lacking, report saysHousing shortage also hindering recovery, it saysTimes-Picayune, April 25, 2007, By Bill BarrowBATON ROUGE -- A failure of local leadership and a lack of affordable housing are primary reasons that New Orleans trails many other Gulf Coast communities in storm and flood recovery, according to a new report.The report, issued jointly by the Public Affairs ResearchStephan Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13349293653101301820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-18488233747124966542007-04-25T08:48:00.000-04:002007-04-25T08:54:23.657-04:005,000 Evacuated After Chlorine Leak in Northeast China (Xinhua)Updated: 2007-04-25 16:43 <!--enpcontent--> Five thousand people have been evacuated after a chlorine leak in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, officials with the local government said on Wednesday.See article here.Eva Lerner-Lamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16800721386133607342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4115933114744175592.post-91172801149191509222007-04-21T19:55:00.000-04:002007-04-21T20:15:46.368-04:00The future competitiveness of the infrastructure system presents an engineering leadership challengeThe USA’s infrastructure systems have deteriorated to the point where this country’s future economic competitiveness is in jeopardy and our elected officials, who are entrusted with safeguarding our nation’s future, have ignored the warnings. Our elected officials’ failure to maintain and improve upon the system inherited from the prior generation can be traced to a lack of political will, the Stephan Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13349293653101301820noreply@blogger.com14