Last body recovered from Minneapolis bridge collapse

MINNEAPOLIS (AFP) - Divers on Monday recovered the remains of the 13th and final victim of a major freeway bridge collapse in the northern state of Minnesota nearly three weeks ago, officials said.

The body of Greg Jolstad, a 45-year-old road construction worker, was pulled from the Mississippi River on Monday, Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said.

The recovery of Jolstad, who was known to friends as "Jolly," ends the search for bodies and workers are now set to move on to the task of removing heavy debris from the swift river currents, Stanek said.

The eight-lane bridge that served as a main artery for Minneapolis, the biggest city in Minnesota, collapsed during the evening rush hour on August 1.

The collapse drew calls for a major overhaul of aging US transportation infrastructure, with experts saying billions of dollars had to be spent to bring standards into line.

Officials had warned as early as 1990 that the bridge, which bore more than 140,000 vehicles a day, had serious structural problems.

The White House has initiated a review of the nation's state-based bridge inspection program but rejected calls for a gasoline tax to pay for infrastructure improvements.