When infrastructure fails, people can die. We saw it when the levees broke in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. And we were reminded of it last week when Minneapolis' 40-year-old Interstate 35 West bridge crumbled into the Mississippi River.

Crucial lessons can be learned from the tragic collapse, both now and when more details are known. Rarely are there no warning signs before a disaster. The catastrophe should be a pointed reminder for Michigan lawmakers about the ongoing need for timely attention to maintenance, inspections and greater investment for repairs and construction. States and the federal government have to be committed to making bridges and roads a top priority.

Fortunately, the death toll in Minneapolis was not as high as it could have been, given it was rush hour traffic. As of Wednesday, there were five confirmed deaths, eight people missing and about 100 injured. The cause may not be known for months. The investigation needs to be thorough. Many will look to the findings for guidance on bridge building and maintenance.

The bridge had been rated "structurally deficient" for 17 years and was regularly inspected. Structurally deficient means some portions of the bridge needed to be scheduled for repair or replacement but does not mean its unsafe, according to federal officials.

The likelihood of another bridge falling apart isn't difficult to imagine when more than 70,000 bridges across the country are also rated structurally deficient, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Fixing them is estimated to cost $188 billion over two decades.

Nearly 500 of Michigan's 4,500 highway bridges are structurally deficient. But Kirk Steudele, director of the state Department of Transportation, says he's confident state bridges are safe.

Federal officials have wisely alerted states to inspect all bridges similar to the Minneapolis bridge. Michigan is inspecting four -- three steele-arch highway bridges and a pedestrian bridge in northern Michigan and the Upper Penninsula. States have to inspect bridges every two years. The Mackinac, International and Blue Water bridges are inspected annually.

The safety of residents and visitors should be paramount. In addition, Michigan's economy relies on a well-maintained transportation system to recruit and keep business investments. Some $180 million will be invested in state bridges each year over the next five years. But MDOT's five year projection forecasts a $300 million reduction in state highway construction in 2008 and $100 million in 2009. The maintenance budget also declines. By next year, 92 percent of state bridges and roads are expected to be in good condition but that's projected to drop to 68 percent by 2014.

That's unsettling and lawmakers have to find revenue to adequately fund the transportation system. There is legislation to raise the gasoline and diesel taxes to come up with more cash that deserves debate, along with tax and spending reforms. Lawmakers should provide MDOT the necessary resources to ensure the safety margin for the driving public isn't thin.