Would installing some type of "black-box" on bridges enable us to prevent and understand possible failures ?

That's a very good and plausible idea. In fact, some bridges, and other load-bearing structures do have a black box - of sorts. They collect and store info from wired sensors at critical points. Maybe that system will become more wide spread now.

I'm not sure what the answer is, however I've got an idea this will wake some of our politicians to the fact that there are more important things than looking good for the next election. We (the Minneapolis Area) have just been stuck with bills for three new stadiums. One at the University of Minnesota, One for the Vikings and One for the Twins. A gas tax to improve roads was turned down by our "leaders" at the state capitol. (I wanted to use another word but yahoo would not let me use it so I used leaders). Now we can attend the funerals of people that did nothing but drive on a bridge and see sports each in it's own stadium.

No, no help at all. A catastrophic structural failure happens so quickly there is no time in which to take action. There are so many different faults, both seemingly minor and major that might lead directly or indirectly to complete failure. Extreme example:- when the two towers were on fire, did anyone anticipate that both towers would collapse suddenly? The outcome only seems obvious in hindsight.

I had read recently that there are computer chips available that can be installed on bridges that can detect minute changes in the infrastructure. Best of all, the chips are $1 a pop. They run on sunlight and microwaves, which would keep them powered, and would alert us when cracking was happening in bridges. I wish my tax dollars were being spent there.

I don't think that a black box could get any kind of answers from a SLAB OF CONCRETE! It was a terrible accident....but it was an accident....there are people that die all the time trying to build and repair bridges....but you rarely hear about them....Anyway I don't think there is a whole lot else we can do....It was a tragic ACCIDENT.

Not necessary. Inspectors know when the bridge is in trouble. Whether anything is done about it won't be helped by black boxes.

I'm sure the law suites are planed. We should take them all down and be responsible for our own transportation across rivers.

I dont think so, It would help if the polititions paid attention to the warnings.

surely the fundamental problem is bad design?