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Asphalt wearing surface removal.
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Girder demolition. This took so long it put the contractors a stunning three weeks behind. Although a medium sized bridge at 140 feet, the bridge was in such good condition the contractors couldn't get the bridge to break apart as easily as they expected. The concrete ball used in these photos proved to be near-useless, they later used a jackhammer, and even with that it still took weeks to demolish.
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After demolition of southern girders. The contractors were further surprised by the size of the reinforcing rods in the bridge. They had to use cutting torches to get them off the bridge.
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This is what St. Clair County Road Commission turned one of Michigan's most important and nationally significant bridges into.
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Parking heavy machinery on a deck of a girder bridge that no longer has girders is about the dumbest thing you can do. Even worse, the deck was not completely connected at the south end, as visible here. The contractors should be thankful that this was a bridge in like-new condition. The fact that this girder bridge was so strong and in such good condition that it's deck alone could support heavy weight even without the girders that support the bridge is proof that this bridge should not have been demolished. Bypassed for pedestrian use, or as a one-way couplet, this bridge could easily have served for centuries to come, if properly maintained.
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After removal of south deck.
Demolition preperation.
Asphalt wearing surface removal.
Girder demolition. This took so long it put the contractors a stunning three weeks behind. Although a medium sized bridge at 140 feet, the bridge was in such good condition the contractors couldn't get the bridge to break apart as easily as they expected. The concrete ball used in these photos proved to be near-useless, they later used a jackhammer, and even with that it still took weeks to demolish.
After demolition of southern girders. The contractors were further surprised by the size of the reinforcing rods in the bridge. They had to use cutting torches to get them off the bridge.
This is what St. Clair County Road Commission turned one of Michigan's most important and nationally significant bridges into.
Parking heavy machinery on a deck of a girder bridge that no longer has girders is about the dumbest thing you can do. Even worse, the deck was not completely connected at the south end, as visible here. The fact that this girder bridge was so strong and in such good condition that it's deck alone could support heavy weight even without the girders that support the bridge is proof that this bridge should not have been demolished. Bypassed for pedestrian use, or as a one-way couplet, this bridge could easily have served for centuries to come, if properly maintained.
After removal of south deck.
