Controlled explosions brought down the Lake Champlain Bridge between New York and Vermont this morning. Snow fell and a small group of onlookers watched as the 2,184-foot-long span between Crown Point, N.Y., and Addison, Vt., was dropped into the water and ice at the narrow south end of the lake. There was a sharp concussion followed by billowing smoke as steel and concrete fell. The 80-year-old bridge was closed Oct. 16 when engineers deemed it wasn't safe because of severe erosion to its concrete piers. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho-based Advanced Explosives Demolition handled the detonation, using 800 pounds of explosives packed into more than 500 charges. Debris will be removed by the spring, when construction is scheduled to begin on a new span expected to open in the summer of 2011.
AED Selected for Lake Champlain Bridge Demolition
Reminder About Public Meetings on Saturday by New York State Department of Transportation
ALBANY, NY (12/10/2009) -- New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Acting Commissioner Stanley Gee and Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) Secretary David Dill today announced that, as part of an expedited process to demolish the existing Lake Champlain Bridge and build a replacement at the same location, NYSDOT contractor Harrison & Burrowes Bridge Constructors, Inc. (H&B) has secured an expert subcontractor to demolish the existing bridge. Advanced Explosives Demolition, Inc. of Idaho will, working for H&B, plan for and execute the controlled explosive demolition of the steel truss bridge.
"We have been working diligently to move this process along as efficiently as possible and I am pleased to be able to go forward with a plan for demolishing the Lake Champlain Bridge," NYSDOT Acting Commissioner Gee said. "We will make sure the public is well aware of our plans as we move ahead and will alert people about safe locations to view the demolition."
Details on the bridge demolition will be well advertised and safe public viewing locations will be determined. The demolition contractor will establish safety protocols for contractor employees and for the public to which they must adhere. The public will be prohibited from the area immediately surrounding the bridge, including the land, water and air. Access to certain roads also will be restricted for a distance to be specified by the states and contractor to ensure public safety.
"We greatly benefited from your experience and advice (this was) downtown Toronto's first demolition by implosion. The Municipality had not previously agreed to permit an implosion of any buildings within the built-up core area of the City. The event was a success. This experience will allow us to revise our procedures in an effort to streamline the approval process (for a future implosion project)."
Pamela Ann Coburn Toronto, Canada Director of Buildings and Deputy Chief Building Official
Controlled explosions brought down the Lake Champlain Bridge between New York and Vermont this morning. Snow fell and a small group of onlookers watched as the 2,184-foot-long span between Crown Point, N.Y., and Addison, Vt., was dropped into the water and ice at the narrow south end of the lake. There was a sharp concussion followed by billowing smoke as steel and concrete fell. The 80-year-old bridge was closed Oct. 16 when engineers deemed it wasn't safe because of severe erosion to its concrete piers. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho-based Advanced Explosives Demolition handled the detonation, using 800 pounds of explosives packed into more than 500 charges. Debris will be removed by the spring, when construction is scheduled to begin on a new span expected to open in the summer of 2011.
"We have been working diligently to move this process along as efficiently as possible and I am pleased to be able to go forward with a plan for demolishing the Lake Champlain Bridge," NYSDOT Acting Commissioner Gee said. "We will make sure the public is well aware of our plans as we move ahead and will alert people about safe locations to view the demolition."