Motorists make their way across the new Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River Thursday morning Sept. 18, 2008, after a slow procession lead by state troopers and state highway trucks marked the opening of the new bridge in Minneapolis. The old bridge collapsed on Aug. 1, 2007 killing 13 people and injuring 145. The new bridge took 11 months to construct and cost about $234 million.
A slow procession of motorists lead by state troopers and state highway trucks makes its way across the new Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River Thursday morning Sept. 18, 2008, to mark the opening of the new bridge in Minneapolis.
The Minneapolis skyline rises in the distance, Tuesday, July 22, 2008, in this view of the new Interstate 35W bridge which replaces the old bridge which collapsed into the Mississippi River, Aug. 1, 2007, killing 13 people and injuring more than 100. One year later, the bridge's replacement is nearly finished.
Work continues on the new Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River, top left, in Minneapolis, Tuesday, June 24, 2008, with the project on course for completion months ahead of schedule and barely a year after the old Mississippi crossing collapsed during rush hour.
Jon Chiglo, right, leads a tour of the I-35 bridge construction site from the 10th Avenue bridge explaining the structural aspects to the new Interstate 35W bridge across the Mississippi in Minneapolis Tuesday, June 24, 2008. The new span is on course for completion months ahead of schedule and barely a year after the old Mississippi River crossing collapsed during rush hour.
Section No. 60 of the new I-35 bridge is raised from a barge in the foaming Mississippi River at Minneapolis, Tuesday, June 24, 2008. All 120 pre-cast concrete pieces of the 10-lane bridge are expected to be in place in July; final work will keep traffic off the bridge until mid-September or later.
Workers prepare a section of the new Interstate 35W bridge as it is lifted into place in Minneapolis Tuesday, June 24, 2008. The section is number 60 out of 120 needed to complete the span across the Mississippi River.
Construction is ahead of schedule on the new Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River Monday, June 16, 2008 in Minneapolis The bridge will replace the old bridge which collapsed Aug. 1, 2007, killing 13 people and severing a critical link in the state's largest city.
One of the precast cements which comprises of the main span of the new Interstate 35W bridge is hoisted up Monday, June 16, 2008, in Minneapolis. The bridge replaces the old bridge which collapsed Aug. 1, 2007, killing 13 people and severing a critical link in the state's largest city.
One of the precast cements which comprises of the main span of the new Interstate 35W bridge is hoisted up Monday, June 16, 2008 in Minneapolis.
One of the precast cements which comprises of the main span of the new Interstate 35W bridge is hoisted up Monday, June 16, 2008 in Minneapolis. The bridge replaces the old bridge which collapsed Aug. 1, 2007, killing 13 people and severing a critical link in the state's largest city.