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Home | Opinion Exchange | Editorials | The I-35W bridge collapse

Editorial: Seeking to rebuild trust in MnDOT

Lawmakers propose practical steps to improve agency.

Last update: July 28, 2008 - 6:55 PM

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Minnesota bridges rated: An interactive map of bridges that are "structurally deficient," "functionally obsolete" or have gusset plates like those on the I-35W bridge.

THE FIVE LAWMAKERS

The group of five legislators who propose more oversight of MnDOT are:

Rep. Frank Hornstein, DFL-Minneapolis

Rep. Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park

Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL-St. Peter

Sen. Jim Carlson, DFL-Eagan

Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis

While a soaring new Interstate 35W bridge nears completion in Minneapolis, Saturday's near-tragedy on its sister road, Interstate 35E, was a sobering, eerily timed reminder that we cannot let down our collective guard when it comes to the safety of the state's and nation's bridges.

Late Saturday afternoon in St. Paul, 1,200-pounds of concrete chunks fell from 35E's Maryland Avenue overpass. The incident came less than a week before the one-year anniversary of the 35W collapse. Amazingly, no one was hurt, even though a concrete chunk hit a vehicle.

On Monday, the incident served as a thought-provoking backdrop to a news conference that had been called before the 35E incident by five DFL lawmakers. The group called for additional oversight of the Minnesota Department of Transportation and proposed a list of sensible, safety-minded reforms. Making the best of them a reality should be a priority when the Legislature is back in session.

The reforms build on two key reports on the bridge collapse completed earlier this year by the legislative auditor and by Gray Plant Mooty, a law firm hired by lawmakers. Those reports painted a picture of missed opportunities at MnDOT to prevent the collapse. Among them: poor communication between offices responsible for bridge safety, the loss of talented staff to better-paying competitors and institutional inertia when it came to dealing with "budget busters,'' unsexy projects needing big-dollar repairs. The proposed reforms address many of those issues.

An exception to the state salary cap would be lifted to help the agency recruit and retain senior engineers. Agency reports noting bridge problems would need to include a timeline of when a fix would be made. MnDOT officials would also have to report back to the Legislature annually on bridge inspection issues, and communicate about management changes.

Greater legislative oversight may be the most controversial recommendation. MnDOT's new commissioner, Tom Sorel, is an engineer who has moved quickly to make improvements. He deserves latitude to run the organization. But the reforms do not suggest a lack of confidence in Sorel lawmakers emphasized Monday. Rather, it's an effort by lawmakers to help shoulder the awesome responsibility of transportation safety. Budget busters aren't just MnDOT's problem. By detailing them to lawmakers, plans can be made to find the money and make repairs.

The group of five legislators next plans to meet with MnDOT. For its part, agency spokeswoman Lucy Kender said in an e-mail that MnDOT welcomes the chance to work with legislators. Gov. Tim Pawlenty's office said in an e-mail that the ideas offered by the group were sound and many are already being implemented by the agency.

MnDOT and lawmakers have made impressive progress in making the state's bridges safer. But years of underfunding and inattention will take longer than a year to correct. The proposed reforms would help build trust and cooperation between MnDOT and the lawmakers who fund it. The agency may be moving in the right direction, but making these reforms state law would ensure that they continue to be part of MnDOT operations well into the future.

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