The Minneapolis Bridge Collapse that Sounded the Alarm on US Infrastructure

March 3, 2014
(9 min.)
Has lesson plan

At the height of rush hour on August 1, 2007 a bridge carrying eight lanes of I-35W traffic over the Mississippi River suddenly collapsed, sending cars and trucks plunging into the water below.

Thirteen people died and 145 were injured in one of the worst bridge accidents in years.

This video examines the Minneapolis collapse and its effect on decaying bridges across the nation. Using archival footage, and interviews with survivors and those who investigated the accident, the video details what caused it to fall as well as the long-standing history of problems with the I-35W bridge.

Since the accident, states around the country are spending more money than ever to repair or replace bridges with serious problems, but transportation engineers say it’s still not enough. Last year’s collapse of another interstate bridge north of Seattle was a reminder of just how far the nation has to go to address the condition of our bridges.

For teachers
  • Producer: Drew Magratten
  • Editor: Kristen Nutile
  • Editor: Sandrine Isambert
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For Educators

Subjects
Civics and Government Geography
Topics
Domestic Policy Engineering
Introduction

This 10-minute video examines the 2007 collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis which fell into the Mississippi River during rush hour. Thirteen people were killed. The collapse led to a search for the cause and highlighted the need for bridge inspections and repairs.

An investigation revealed that the bridge had been rated in poor condition for 17 years. The Minnesota Department of Transportation was found to be underfunded, limited in how many infrastructure projects they could finish in a given year. The collapse highlighted tensions at different levels of government on whether to spend money on new infrastructure projects or to put money into maintenance and repairs.

Lesson Plan 1: The Minneapolis Bridge Collapse
The Minneapolis Bridge Collapse
The Minneapolis Bridge Collapse
Overview
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Students will learn about the 2007 collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota and examine political decision-making as it relates to public works projects.

Objectives
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Students will:

  • Explain the role of different levels of government in building and maintaining infrastructure.
  • Examine the status of infrastructure in their state (or another state).
  • Compare and contrast the status of infrastructure in their state with that of at least two other states.
  • Use graphic data to analyze information about a public issue in state government.
Essential questions
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  • How do infrastructure projects (roads, bridges, dams, etc.) lead to interaction between federal and state governments?
  • What factors contribute to political decisions when it comes to public works projects?
  • What progress has been made in fixing infrastructure in the U.S. since the I-35W bridge collapse?
Additional resources
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Standards
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Common Core Standards:

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).

C3 Framework for Social Studies:

  • D2.Civ.1.9-12. Distinguish the powers and responsibilities of local, state, tribal, national, and international civic and political institutions.
  • D2.Civ.9.9-12. Use appropriate deliberative processes in multiple settings.
  • D2.Civ.10.9-12. Analyze the impact and the appropriate roles of personal interests and perspectives on the application of civic virtues, democratic principles, constitutional rights, and human rights.
  • D2.Civ.13.9-12. Evaluate public policies in terms of intended and unintended outcomes, and related consequences. 
  • D2.Civ.14.9-12. Analyze historical, contemporary, and emerging means of changing societies, promoting the common good, and protecting rights.