Major bridge collapse in Baltimore

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Baltimore

 

I don't know how fast these barges go, or maybe it hit a bad spot, but how does this happen?

 

The Nova episode on this is going to be fascinating

 

Or Frontline. Just horrific.

 

I was thinking one of those hour-long shows only Discovery can do.

 

Yet I keep thinking back to the 1989 quake (maybe because I work only a mile or so from the epicenter). The damage to the Bay Bridge and Candlestick Park were features, not flaws. Not that anyone figures on this happening ...

 

A metro as large as Baltimore still has volunteer first responders!?!

Also, this is the first thing I thought of when I heard today’s news.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-4...ridge disaster,road bridge crossing the river.

 

I am neither afraid of heights or water, but I got freaked out on a bridge in Maryland one time headed to Ocean City. I really don't remember where or what it was called. I just remember it being insanely steep and high. I did not enjoy the experience.

 

You’re probably thinking of the Nice Bridge on 301 between Maryland and Virginia:



It has since been replaced by a new bridge, which is almost as steep but a tad less rickety.

 

It's horrible. A terrible tragedy. And going to be a years-long recovery process. Sure you can offload the ships waiting to head out and put containers on trucks or rail to send them to other ports, but the closest comparable port is Norfolk or Philly. The dock workers will be hosed for a while, until the harbor is cleared.
And the traffic? My goodness.

Out this way they've been talking about replacing the I-5 bridge over the Columbia River for decades (it has a freaking drawbridge to let commercial traffic and sailboats pass. I always thought the quicker way to get it repaired is to stage a fake terror attack and dump the thing in the river Of course give enough warning where nobody is hurt. But the feds would probably just pay for a "patch" emergency fix. The Key Bridge will need a complete rebuild, didn't even look like the support piers at the waterline survived.

 

Force = Mass x Velocity.

A really heavy thing moving slowly can generate a ton of force.