Could the Mn I-35W bridge collapse occur due to added stress by 4 lanes being used to take on 8 lanes traffic

Question

At the time of the Mn I-35W bridge collapse, 4 lanes of the 8 lanes were under repair and closed off to traffic. This imposed a stress factor increased by diverting all bridge traffic formally using 8 lanes to 4 lanes.

Answer 1

it sure could. and was the bridge designed for eight lanes

Answer 2

A good question,  one that should have been considered by the state highway department engineers before allowing the work to progress.  

Still,  the biggest problem we have with our highways and bridges is the siphoning off of fuel  and road use tax dollars for projects other than highway construction and maintenance.     For example,   highway fund dollars building bike paths and parks is not right!    Nor should highway dollars be subsidizing other means of transport,  such as trains.   The misuse of our tax dollars is an issue that every person needs to be aware of,   and our elected officials called on the carpet for.

Answer 3

Probably not. The vehicle weight would be the same. Only so many vehicles fit on 4 lanes at a time. so the bridge would have had half the traffic load at any given time. The construction equipment may have been heavier and loading the bridge unevenly but the lane reduction shouldn't have been a problem.

Answer 4

Yes it could have and I have seen many bridges everywhere that will do the same thing and this has to put alot of extra stress on the remaining lanes that are being used, very good question...