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As I mentioned in another post, it is not possible for a public bridge to collapse due to a lack of funds, even though that is the message that is being shouted from the mountaintops.  Every vehicle that goes over a bridge takes some life out of the structure.  So does every increment of time.  It is a requirement that the condition be continuously monitored to determine if the bridge is safe.  If there is a lack of funds or any other impediment to discharging this responsibility, the bridge must be closed.  MNDOT officials have already admitted that they were unable to properly inspect the bridge.  But setting aside the issue of inpsection, there is a new development that pertains to Northtowne's post above.  The latest news is that there is a suspected design flaw, in that the connector plates are too light.  This is really amazing.  I have not heard any solid confirmation that the plates are too light, but apparently there is some kind of evidence of this.  They are saying that, because of this design defect, the extra 100 tons of construction materials on the bridge was probably enough to cause the collapse.  So, if this is true, there was never the proper safety factor that was intended in the original design.  So this raises all kinds of new questions as the focus of the cause shifts from inspection negligence to design negligence. <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/08/09/steel_plates_may_be_design_flaw_in_minn_bridge_collapse/"></a>
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