Friday, May 24, 2013

Skagit River Bridge

Last night at about 7 PM., the I-5 bridge over the Skagit River collapsed. Three people were rescued from the water; nobody was killed, but two were taken to the hospital. They think it was caused when an oversized truck hit one of the supports; the bridge fell slowly, and most people were able to get off.

For those who don't know, I-5 is a highway that goes along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico. The Skagit River is kind of famous for flooding every fall, and at this time of year it's usually full of snowmelt. Fortunately, it's been so cool lately that the snow stopped melting, so the river wasn't as high or as cold as it could have been. The bridge, however, is ancient and has needed replacement for a while now.

People have hastened to blame Republicans for the bridge collapse. I find this amusing since this state is, and has been for thirty years, run completely by Democrats. Personally, I blame the truck driver. He had a pilot car and should have mapped out a different route, since his load was definitely oversized.

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