Friday marks 18 years since the 35W Bridge collapse

More than a dozen people died 18 years ago when the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed during the evening rush hour in Minneapolis.

Friday marks the anniversary of the Aug. 1, 2007 collapse that killed 13 people and hurt another 145 people. A new bridge opened more than a year later on Sept. 18, 2008. A memorial was also created near where the bridge previously stood.

Steel from the collapsed bridge is at the engineering building at the University of St. Thomas to serve as a reminder that engineers can have people’s lives in their hands.

The National Transportation Safety Board blamed the bridge’s collapse on gusset plates that were half as thick as they should have been due to a flaw in the original design. The main piece of steel responsible for the entire collapse is owned and stored by the Minnesota Historical Society.