shelland Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 (edited) Our Minnesota Brass rehearsal was only about 1/2 to 1 mile northeast of the bridge collapse. It was pretty scary while we accounted for everyone, but everyone (that I am aware of) is safe and sound. When I marched MBI, I crossed that bridge going to and from practice. It is very close to the practice site, and as has already been mentioned tonight is MBI rehearsal night. I also used to cross it going to and from work every day (although not since about 1998). I honestly find it amazing that no one from MBI happened to be crossing the bridge at that moment driving to practice. Obviously the lives and health of those involved are most important. But this is going to have a huge effect on traffic in the Twin Cities for a long time. It is one of two major highways entering Minneapolis from the northern suburbs. Not only is it used to get "to" Minneapolis, but many use it to get "through" Minneapolis to get from north to south and vice versa. I heard an estimate on TV (not sure if it's accurate) that it would take a minimum of a year, and probably closer to two to replace the bridge. I'm thankful I rarely drive anywhere in the area since I work and live in outer suburbs, because traffic is going to be awful (as if it wasn't already) for a long time to come. I heard an estimate that 100,000+ cars cross that bridge every day. Prayers go out to everyone involved - no matter who you are. Edited August 2, 2007 by shelland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoothy Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I'm glad to be in Chicago and not Minneapolis for the week. Last I heard is that all present members are good, but we have a lot of alumni in that area, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Prayers given for all involved and glad no corps members that we know of were on the bridge. Just heard about this going to work and my first thought was all the corps in the Twin Cities area... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goalieguy Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 To add a little to "the morning after", I can tell you that my wife went to MBI practice and passed through that area about 10 minutes prior to the collapse. Because of the traditional heavy traffic on that bridge at the dinner hour going north from downtown to NE Minneapolis, she chose to use the adjacent 10th Avenue bridge. She went a little earlier than usual because of some uniform things she's been trying to finish up. She wound up having to take a 20 mile detour(self-imposed) to come home after they cancelled practice. That could have been scary. My nephew, Mike 'Porkchop' Honkanen (MBI / 27th alum) was doing his normal civic duty as a 1st Responder, getting himself stationed at the Red Cross HQ, conveniently located just about a block west of the bridge on the downtown side. I jokingly called him to see if he was going there, and he called me back saying he was working at the 'triage' center command post, and was right with the kids from the school bus that was on the bridge next to the burning bread truck..(toast, anyone? :P ) I hope he wasn't there all night! I understand that one of the MBI guard members was in her car going to practice and was at the north end of the bridge when it collapsed. Apparently, she had to leave her car there and walk the 1 1/2 miles or so to the practice site from there..To paraphrase a recent MBI show title, 'Shaken but not Stirred'. My older sister traditionally goes across that bridge on Wednesdays as well. She for 'some mysterious reason' took a different route to her NE destination..So maybe her being a member of the Dominican Laity and being a teacher in an inner city catholic school has someone watching out for her. This IS going to make getting through downtown a major pain for awhile, but I immediately thought that had they not been doing work on the bridge deck and the subsequesnt northern stretch of 35W, there would have been 2 to 3 times as much traffic on that bridge...The Twinkies are in town and they had 25,000 at the Dome last night..The dome is about 6 blocks west of the 35W corridor and the river bridge is about 1/2 mile northeast of the stadium.. This could have been a LOT worse folks.. Thanks to Jami and the DCP family for thinking about us here. Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidwestGiant Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 It was unbelievably unnerving being one of the people who had to account for the members who were not at rehearsal when the bridge collapsed. We couldn't get through to anyone. I can't express the relief that I felt when we finally accounted for all of the members. We were so lucky and blessed that we didn't lose someone. Probably a third of our members cross that bridge to get to rehearsal. I know that when we sang our corps song For All We Know last night when we broke rehearsal the words rang in all of our hearts. Love my drum corps family! I'm so thankful that everyone was safe. Joel Matuzak MBI Program Coordinator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikietuba Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 (edited) This goes to show you what drum corps is all about, FAMILY. Thank you to all who have expressed your concern. It makes us all take a step back and think. At MN BRASS our corps song is sung at the end of each rehearsal, performance and gathering together. Last night after we called rehearsal, and we had rescued one of our own from the bridge, we circled up and sang this as a group. Here are the lyrics for all of us to ponder. For All We Know For all we know We may never meet again Before you go Make this moment sweet again We won't say goodnight Until the last minute I'll hold out my hand And my heart will be in it For all we know This may only be a dream We come and we go Like the ripple on a stream So love me tonight Tomorrow was meant for some Tomorrow may never come For all we know We know Mike Reed MBI Brass Staff Edited August 2, 2007 by mikietuba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bawker Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Very happy to hear everyone is accounted for. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niki@hcb.org Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Glad you all are okay! We have ex MBI in our corps, I'm sure there was great concern over you guys being so close. I am very surprised this didn't turn out much worse, that's one big bridge to have fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiodb Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I just talked to Todd Tanji - who was sitting at that moment with Brent Turner of Minnesota Brass. The bridge in question is VERY close to the MB rehearsal site and fell about 10 minutes after this evening's rehearsal was scheduled to begin. Wow - one more reason to show up on time for practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeM Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 We started a check in the club in the OT forums as well. This kind of check is eerily similar to what Sky did after September 11th. I'm very glad to hear everyone is OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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