Final Report In, Minneapolis Moves to Repair Sabo Bridge

Now that the final report into what caused fractures in key parts of the Sabo pedestrian bridge has been received, the city of Minneapolis plans to repair the bridge, "as soon as possible," and determine who should pay for expenses that so far total nearly $1 million.

"we are focused on getting the bridge back in full service," said Heidi Hamilton, deputy director of the city's Public Works department.

On Friday, the city released a 140-page report by Illinois-based consultants Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, which contained the first close up photos released publicly of the damage caused to steel plates by wind vibrations. Click here to read the report.

The report also reveals that URS Corporation did take wind vibrations into account when it designed the bridge, but "deferred a final decision" on whether to install a stay cable damping system "until after construction." After "periodically," monitoring the bridge for 30 days after it opened, URS concluded the stay cable dampers, "were not necessary," the consultant's report notes.

A spokesman for URS issued the following statement Friday afternoon:

"URS is one of the world's most experienced bridge designers and we are committed to the highest levels of quality and public safety.  We have just received the Wiss, Janney, Elstner report and will conduct a comprehensive review of the findings, including factors that did not involve our company, such as the misalignment of connection plates and defective welds.  We take full responsibility for our work.  We remain committed to working constructively and responsibly with the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County as they move forward with retrofit solutions for the bridge."

Watch our story above to learn more about the report, hear an explanation from the project manager with the consultant, and watch an interview with the deputy director of public works at the city of Minneapolis.