Did Nashville avoid a tragedy similar to yesterday’s Minneapolis bridge collapse by rebuilding the Demonbreun Street Bridge? Though the scale would have been smaller, I’m very glad that the city (perhaps belatedly) condemned the bridge and had it demolished and replaced. It may have been an inconvenience and a hassle, but I’m grateful that Nashvillians didn’t have to experience what Minnesotans are going through today. My thoughts and my sympathies go out to those involved.

Is there a structure in the metro area at risk? TV stations in particular love to trot out this kind of story when a disaster such as this comes along, but it is a question worth asking. As has been mentioned in regard to Minneapolis, Nashville only has a few routes across its river, and a similar bridge collapse during heavy traffic periods would cause many casualties and lead to major traffic emergencies. In particular, I believe that the north side of the city is underserved in terms of routes in and out of the downtown area, and I’m not really sure how to address that without building more bridges. I’m sure that TDOT and other appropriate agencies already monitor our bridges and roadways for safety issues, and I hope they’ll pay increased attention to structures such as the Woodland Street Bridge, the Jefferson Street Bridge and the I-65 North bridge that connects Metrocenter to Trinity Lane in the weeks ahead.