The aftermath of 35W

ust over a month ago the city of Minneapolis was in the national spotlight with the horrific scene of the 35W bridge laying in the mighty waters of the Mississippi River. While we watched minute by minute the dust and confusion start to subside, our city became a circus for a week as every national broadcast set up tents and shipped people in and out in an attempt to make an already stressful event into one of pure drama for the world to witness. I think what topped the cake is when I was flipping through the channels only to spot Mr. Geraldo Rivera on the edge of the road spewing off about nothing. When the news hungry media started to fully understand the lackluster amount victims, they all picked up and left leaving the world to believe that everything is going to be alright.

This is where my rant really starts to begin because while the rest of the world saw the 30 seconds of hell that the people on the bridge had to go through, the rest of the metro area has to see the damage left after it is all over. Our main artery to the north has been shut down and all traffic must be deviated to the east and west before heading to the north which causes already stressed roadways to become parking lots. This headache will continue for the next 16 to 20 months as they try and build a bridge as fast as possible so they are able to reopen 35W (is it just me or shouldn't they maybe plan a little before trying to whip a bridge in the old spot?). The news sure as shit doesn't cover this but this is life after a tragedy (irk, accident, irk, disaster). I think my point here is that I'm sick of the drama infested media that we are so prone to having. 24 hour news stations? Seriously, we are getting quantity over quality and now everyone's an expert.

Okay, that is out now and I'm okay. I think I may get into my car now and plan to be in Roseville by 8:30 tonight. Grrrrr!

-B.