I-35W bridge collapse, a timeline

Aug. 1, 6:05 p.m.: I-35W bridge over Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapses.

Aug. 2: Gov. Tim Pawlenty orders review of state bridge inspection processes and an emergency inspection of similar bridges.

Aug. 6: FBI and U.S. Navy divers arrive with special equipment to help recovery.

Aug. 20: Rescue and recovery efforts completed, MnDOT begins demolition of the bridge.

Aug. 23: Preliminary plans for replacement bridge are made public.

Sept. 14 - Oct. 8: MnDOT awards design-build contract to Flatiron/Manson for new bridge.

Dec. 19: Legislature hires special counsel to investigate collapse.

Dec. 21: MnDOT completes special inspections of more than 4,000 Minnesota bridges.

Jan. 15: National Transportation Safety Board issues letter citing inadequacy in original design of bridge gusset plates.

Feb. 25: State Transportation Funding Bill authorizes $4.5 billion in revenue and $1.8 billion in bonds over the next 10 years.

March - June: Examination of gusset plates leads to closure, repair or replacement of several Minnesota bridges.

June 16: MnDOT announces $2.5 billion bridge plan to replace or rehabilitate 120 bridges across the state within 10 years.

Sept. 18: New I-35W bridge opens to traffic.

Nov. 12: First of the victims' lawsuits are filed against bridge contractors.

Nov. 13: NTSB releases findings that wrong-sized gusset plates made the bridge unable to handle increasing traffic loads and weight of the construction equipment on the deck.

April 17: State divides $37 million compensation fund among 179 victims of collapse.

July: State sues URS Corp., the engineering firm that consulted on bridge before it collapsed.

Nov. 6: Progressive Contractors Inc., the company resurfacing the old bridge, settles with survivors and state of Minnesota.

March 19: URS and its insurers agree to pay state $5 million in exchange for being freed from future state claims from the 2007 collapse.

July: Attorneys for victims argue that URS actions should allow them to seek punitive damages in trial set for March 2011.

Aug. 21: Parties meet for 14 hours to hammer out settlement.

Aug. 23: $52.4 million settlement announced.