Key Baltimore bridge collapses after collision

The comments on X are a hoot. A sad hoot but funny insight into the unhinged in America

 

The barbarians aren't at the gates, they're already inside them.

 

looks like they are going to open up an alternative shipping lane to try and get the port reopened sooner rather than later

Baltimore bridge: Alternative route to open for shipping (bbc.com)

According to a statement from the Key Bridge Response, a taskforce set up in the wake of the incident, port officials are preparing to open the temporary channel to the north-east side of the main channel near the collapsed bridge, for "commercially essential vessels".

This will be part of a "phased approach to opening the main channel."

Capt David O'Connell, who has been helping to coordinate the response, said the alternative route "will mark an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore".

"By opening this alternate route, we will support the flow of marine traffic," he added.


The Impact of the Baltimore Bridge Disaster on Building Materials | NAHB

Baltimore’s largest import for 2023 was personal motor vehicles ($22.47 billion import value), followed by heavy duty machinery such as bulldozers and excavators ($3.62 billion). Unwrought aluminum was the 5th highest valued import for Baltimore at $1.25 billion.

Top imports related to the home building industry include:

• Plywood, veneered panels and similar laminated wood ($425.07 million), which represents 16% of the U.S. total import value for 2023, making it the most important port for plywood imports.
• Gypsum ($23.99 million), representing 14% of the U.S. total import value for 2023 and the highest level of gypsum imports for any U.S. port.
• Sawn lumber ($198.22 million), which represents 3% of the U.S. total import value for 2023, making Baltimore the 11th most important port for sawn lumber imports.

 

The skyway was the first time as a kid that i realized you could see through the grates on bridges like that. I crossed small draw bridges often, but i was freaked out by knowing the skyway grid was the same.

 

That’s good news. I had no idea that Bal’more was such an important port.

 

My first thought when I heard about this come out besides the obvious tragic implications, was my reading about The Outlaw Sea, by William Langweische (sp), and when she talks about the fact that there are no really meaningful safety or insurance regulations on the open sea. But I have been pleasantly surprised to read at least preliminary articles stating that there may be some actual liability and insurance which can cover the damages here. I figured it would be another example of privatized profit and socialized loss which dominates our current economic thinking, a fortiori on the seas. It is also another example of how sensitive our supply chains have become and how important our ports are

 

I can understand "no regulation on the open sea" since it doesn't fall under any government control, but you would think that countries could put insurance requirements and safety regulations on ships that enter their ports.

On a side note, I remember being surprised to read that the Titan sub that imploded was not under any safety regulations or inspections because it operated in the open sea. For some reason, I thought their base country of operation could have some say in how their tourist craft was operated...

 

No insurance regulations or laws really at sea, but this fact is basically why the concept of insurance was invented in the first place.

 

and its on the opposite side of where most of the baltimore crime is

 

every single week there are tons of thousands of boats going underneath bridges large and small.

if the public has been mesmerized now because of the tragedy Baltimore, it’s a good time to learn. The role of ships in business

 

They now have 2 channels open for smaller boats but will be a while to open to large ships

 

How blue-check users blamed Israel, Ukraine for bridge crash

 

The people clearing the debris from the channel are doing amazing work. Really brings to mind the old adage the difficult we do immediately the impossible will take a little time.

 

motorcycles don’t like steel grates. The first time on them you think you are going to lose control. You have to just steer straight and let the bike correct itself. Best explanation I got.

 

Although I haven't ridden a motorcycle in over 50 years steel grated bridges used to scare the hell out of me, same for railroad tracks that crossed a road at an angle other than perpendicular.

 

They were even worse in the rain.

 

When I took my motorcycle license course I asked one question. When they're re-paving a road and you have to switch lanes and the height difference between the lanes is multiple inches, what should you do? The teachers response was essentially "don't pussyfoot it." Which was correct.