Bridge tragedy: Could it happen here?

How frightening was the news last night of the rush-hour bridge collapse in Minnesota?

Four are confirmed dead, but as many as 30 others are missing, some believed to be dead in cars submerged in the river below the bridge's ruins.

For people of this area, it immediately brings to mind the sorry condition of the bridges over the Delaware River between Mercer and Bucks counties, the huge amount of traffic that they get every day, and the fact that most are due to undergo major construction projects.

It's unclear at this point if the construction project underway on this bridge in Minnesota sparked or contributed to the bridge's collapse, but it's a scary thing to think about when you drive over the Route 1 toll bridge every day in Trenton.

This morning, Gov. Corzine ordered emergency inspections of New Jersey bridges to make sure a Minnesota tragedy isn't repeated here. We hope that the state's top engineers look at the under-construction angle closely as well.

Thoughts or information on this story today? Contact Charlie Webster, who's working on this story for tomorrow's paper, at (609) 989-7800 or cwebster4@trentonian.com.

Bridge tragedy: Could it happen here?

How frightening was the news last night of the rush-hour bridge collapse in Minnesota?

Four are confirmed dead, but as many as 30 others are missing, some believed to be dead in cars submerged in the river below the bridge's ruins.

For people of this area, it immediately brings to mind the sorry condition of the bridges over the Delaware River between Mercer and Bucks counties, the huge amount of traffic that they get every day, and the fact that most are due to undergo major construction projects.

It's unclear at this point if the construction project underway on this bridge in Minnesota sparked or contributed to the bridge's collapse, but it's a scary thing to think about when you drive over the Route 1 toll bridge every day in Trenton.

This morning, Gov. Corzine ordered emergency inspections of New Jersey bridges to make sure a Minnesota tragedy isn't repeated here. We hope that the state's top engineers look at the under-construction angle closely as well.

Thoughts or information on this story today? Contact Charlie Webster, who's working on this story for tomorrow's paper, at (609) 989-7800 or cwebster4@trentonian.com.