By Hanna Schutte ’11
August 1, 2007 is a day Minnesotans will not soon forget. It was the day the I-35W bridge collapsed in Minneapolis. The shocking event that left millions stunned, but one Gustavus alumnus, Dustin Thomas ’00, felt called to act.
Thomas, currently of Roseville, Minn., and formerly of Butterfield, Minn., was among those who were shocked to learn that the bridge collapse had occurred right in his own backyard. However, as an employee of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Thomas was feeling more than disbelief.
“On a human level, what I saw was devastating. On a professional level, I felt an overwhelming sense of obligation,” Thomas said. He was on the site of the bridge collapse within days, assisting with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation of the collapse before later shifting to help with its reconstruction.
Thomas graduated from Gustavus in 2000 with a physics major and a pre-engineering degree and then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with a structures emphasis from the University of Minnesota. He has worked for the Mn/DOT for the past six years, with positions in bridge design, foundation design, and bridge construction.
Working for Mn/DOT and having an engineering degree led Thomas to be a principle contributor during the I-35W bridge’s analysis and reconstruction.
“I felt that as a member of the engineering community, we must determine the exact cause of the collapse and we must come together to bring that river crossing back into service as soon as possible,” he said.
Thomas led a team that tested materials, reviewed plans, performed visual inspections and engineering checks, and other tasks necessary to get the I-35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge reconstruction completed properly. Thomas also conducted tours and gave presentations to inform the public of the construction process of the new bridge, which reopened on September 18.
Several unique features and new technologies were incorporated into the new bridge, including the use of the “Smart Bridge” system. This new technology includes more than 100 sensors built into the bridge to record structural behavior and to better alert engineers of necessary maintenance.
The new bridge was able to be constructed quickly with an emphasis on quality through the use of a one contractor-designer team — allowing overlap of the design and construction phases, monetary incentives for early completion, construction at many areas simultaneously, and prefabrication of portions of the bridge during the winter months.
Since this was a high priority for Mn/DOT, Thomas’s work schedule was extremely busy this past year. He went from 40 hour work weeks to 60-70 hour work weeks. Thomas said the combination of intense work and decreased time for friends and family was tough. However, he stated that, “this position was the most challenging and rewarding thing I have done professionally.”
Now that the job is done, Thomas feels good that the cause of the collapse is understood, the bridge is rebuilt, and cars are once again crossing the river.
Since his graduation from Gustavus, Thomas has maintained ties to his alma mater. His sister, April, was a 2005 Gustavus graduate, and Thomas is a member of a softball team that includes several Gustavus alumni.
Now that the bridge is completed, Thomas will be working in bridge design, but remains interested in future large bridge construction projects.
Thomas completed his call to action. He assisted in constructing an important structure that will stand strong for many years to come.
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