Emergency Response via the Web Two emergencies in August 2007 highlight the Internet as a dynamic communication tool
August 1st 2007 Collapse of the I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis
August 21st 2007 Collapse of the I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis Floods in Southeast Minnesota
Road Closure Alerts 511mn.org mndot.gov
Detour Maps
I-35W Bridge Collapse Website Focal point for: Detour route updates Original bridge facts and documentation News releases & media briefings Video of the collapse
Server Capacity was Doubled Increased Web Traffic Unique visitors spiked to 349,913 in August 2007 (double over previous months)
Traffic & Transit Enhancements Metro highways began to improve the flow of traffic In advance of the State Fair and New semester at the University of Minnesota
Statewide Bridge Inspections Governor ordered statewide inspections of all fracture critical bridges Maps and inspection reports were added to the Website
Bridge Replacement Plans to replace the collapsed bridge moved quickly Contractor selection Bridge design
Posting More than Before Viewers wanted more information and greater detail for: Bridge inspection reports Construction & maintenance contracts
High Resolution Photos Aerial photos Ground photos
Information for Legislators Documentation from legislative hearings Funding documents Economic impacts of the collapse
Public Involvement Public and legislative open houses Online comment form (received 5-times more than written comments from open houses) Subscriptions for project updates by Weekly Sidewalk Superintendent Talks at the construction site
Internal Communication Newsline for employees and retirees Daily News Clips Video Clips of TV news
Summary Website remained the primary source of information Content was factual and straight-forward Responsive to public, legislative and media concerns
Best of 2007 Award