Blowing up our bridge

[Ryguy]

We have a new bridge being built in Bismarck ND, this new bridge is replacing the old Memorial bridge.

They are imploding the old bridge in stages. Today was the first stage. After a huge kaboom, the first section of the old bridge came down. It's kind of sad to see it go, but it was getting to be in pretty rough shape.

Of course some photo's of her going to the watery grave.

(UPDATE)

I am posting this link to the video footage of the bridge going down. The links are for the Oct 6 blowing and the Oct 29th blowing. You can also search the site at some of the history, pics, and pics of the new bridge that replaced this one.

Liberty Memorial Bridge Demolition 2008

[Ryguy]

Here are the rest of the pics. I can only attach 5 thumbnails at a time.

[NCDave]

sure made a mess out of the river, huh!

When I was a kid they did that close to my home. It was a HUGE event! lol

[Ryguy]

Oh yea it's a huge deal here too. Hundreds of people were there waiting for it. I was at work when they set the charges off, I am a good 2+ miles away from the bridge and I could here the boom here!!! Pretty cool stuff.

[Ryguy]

Yea they made a mess out of the river. How the hell am I suppose to go fishing now??? The other two sections of the Bridge are to shallow for a boat to pass through LOL

[Dethbed]

Sucks they had to explode a piece of history, but in the name of safety, probably worth it. Great pics!

I think it's pretty cool how they just let all that crap go in the river. Scrap metal is great for the environment I hear.

[Ryguy]

Originally Posted by Dethbed

Sucks they had to explode a piece of history, but in the name of safety, probably worth it. Great pics!

I think it's pretty cool how they just let all that crap go in the river. Scrap metal is great for the environment I hear.

Yea it was a bummer to blow up history. That bridge if I am not mistaken was the last link in the coast to coast highway. That was the last river you had to take a ferry to get across before that bridge was built. Kind of a bummer to see it go, but it was getting dangerous. The piers are crumbling and they actually closed the bridge for a month or two a few years ago because it was deemed unsafe and they had to patch it up.

Yep just let it drop in the water, lead based paint and all. Granted they will clean it up, but I'm sure they won't clean up everything.

[SilverEagle]

Looks like them birds found some wings to get movin at the time of the explosion?

[ozyran440]

WOW, talk about burning bridges!

Very cool. That must have been a LOT of fun to watch. Nothing like watching big things come down.

*edit* Have you thought about assembling the pictures into an animated gif file?

[bretsk2500]

Originally Posted by Ryguy

Yep just let it drop in the water, lead based paint and all. Granted they will clean it up, but I'm sure they won't clean up everything.

are you sure about that?

Here the bridge would have been completely stripped of any lead based paints before being dropped into the water.... the MDEP doesn't play....

I would have like to see that though... I love implosions, but I've never got to see one in person. Blasters thumping ledge just isn't the same....

[cmptrmn.1]

I wonder how many birds died in that explosion. Wow. Sure were a lot of them afterwards.

[nedley]

That's an unhappy group of pigeons!!!

[uechi kid]

Must have been cool to see. I wouldn't want to have to clean up that mess.

[CowboyBob]

That was some cool pics...I would love to see something like that in person!

[Ryguy]

Originally Posted by SilverEagle

Looks like them birds found some wings to get movin at the time of the explosion?

Yes they did, it was cool seeing it on the news, those birds took to the sky faster then I have seen before LOL

Originally Posted by ozyran440

WOW, talk about burning bridges!

Very cool. That must have been a LOT of fun to watch. Nothing like watching big things come down.

*edit* Have you thought about assembling the pictures into an animated gif file?

I wouldn't have the first clue on how to do that LOL!!

Originally Posted by bretsk2500

are you sure about that?

Here the bridge would have been completely stripped of any lead based paints before being dropped into the water.... the MDEP doesn't play....

I would have like to see that though... I love implosions, but I've never got to see one in person. Blasters thumping ledge just isn't the same....

I'm positive, that is one of the reasons they decided to build a new bridge rather then rebuild the old one. They said they would have to strip and repaint the whole bridge because of the old lead based paint. The paint was never stripped off before implosion.

Originally Posted by cmptrmn.1

I wonder how many birds died in that explosion. Wow. Sure were a lot of them afterwards.

I'm sure a couple of those pigeons met their maker. That had to be a wake up call sitting under the bridge when she detonated.

[Ryguy]

Well today they blew up the remaining two sections of our bridge. I will post pictures as soon as I get them.

We were sitting here at work with all the windows and doors open waiting to hear the big boom that would bring the bridge to her ultimate demise. At around 11:05 we heard the big explosions as they blew the last two sections to their watery grave.

[NCDave]

Ah, the end of an era. kinda like selling your bike!

[Ryguy]

Originally Posted by NCDave

Ah, the end of an era. kinda like selling your bike!

So true!!!

You know what's strange though, I have had my current bike for 2 seasons in a row now!!! That's a record for me since the day I joined this forum!!

[StarGate]

Originally Posted by Ryguy

How the hell am I suppose to go fishing now???

I think you missed your opportunity. If you had been sitting down stream with a net when they blew it, you could have probably scooped up a 2 year supply of fish from all the ones that got knocked in the head when it fell.

[buckles]

that first pic showing the small explosions is awesome!!!