MN Bridge inspector leads Halloween tour of spooky spans, rated lower than the 1 that fell August 1

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=268621

MnDOT bridge inspector Bart Andersen seemed to be playing the role of pied piper on the banks of the Mississippi River on Tuesday, leading reporters and lawmakers on a Halloween tour of "spooky" spans.

Anderson's union, AFSCME, organized the tour to call attention to three heavily traveled river crossings, known to most as the Lafayette, the Wakota and the Hastings.

"The bridge is in need of some repairs," Anderson told the tour group as they stood beneath the Lafayette Bridge in downtown Saint Paul.

It's not haunted by ghosts, but has been known to send shivers down the spines of motorists who cross it. The 1968 structure has passed two full inspections in the past six months, but is rated lower technically than the one that fell August 1 in Minneapolis.

"The inspectors that do the work are not the people who determine when the repairs are gonna be made or what the repairs are gonna be," Anderson remarked as he studied rust on beams and cross members.

Stop number two was the half completed Wakota Bridge in South Saint Paul, which has become a flash point for lawmakers in the eastern suburbs because it's year's behind schedule.

FULL story at link.

[Fierce]

1. God, I hate TV reporting.

That is just utter crap writing.