California bridge demolition project proceeding to plan

March 2, 2015
Demolition work is proceeding to plan on the old Bay Bridge in California. The structure is being removed piece by piece in a tightly controlled demolition project being carried out by a number of specialist firms. Strict guidelines cover how the demolition workers can proceed, with regulations preventing debris from falling into the water for example. Safety of the demolition personnel is another of the key criteria. The new bridge is already carrying traffic alongside but the old steel cantilever structure can only be removed in sections and this has meant certain parts of the new link cannot be completed until the original structure has been taken down. The project team will remove the old bridge down to the water level but discussions are underway at present in how best to remove its foundations underwater also. By the end of 2016, the old structure should be completely removed however.

Related Content

  • Flyover removal completed successfully
    May 14, 2021
    The removal of a flyover in Perry Barr, Birmingham, has now been completed in the UK. The work was carried out successfully by the contractor Tarmac within a tight timeframe
    Read More
  • New Zealand's bridges survive earthquake
    February 7, 2012
    How is it that New Zealand's recent large and destructive earthquake did so little damage to the bridges in the quake zone? Mary Searle investigates. The magnitude 7.1 earthquake that hit the Canterbury region in New Zealand at 4.35am on Saturday, 4 September was similar in size to the quake that shook Haiti in January. However, the damage in Canterbury was minimal in comparison. A key contributor to this was New Zealand's preparedness for such an event. Positioned on a major fault line, New Zealand has ear
    Read More
  • Vögele MT 3000-2 for Austria A2 motorway
    May 14, 2014
    Road construction work with moving traffic always represents a major challenge. This is especially true when only one lane can be closed, consequently leaving little space for working and manoeuvring. That was exactly the case for a rehabilitation project on the A2 motorway in Austria between Vienna and Graz near Schäffern. However, the job was further complicated by another factor: all access roads to the job site were roughly 1km apart. Ensuring an uninterrupted supply of mix to the paver under these
    Read More
  • Road widening means bridge demolition
    February 24, 2012
    Two heavy Atlas Copco hydraulic breakers have been used to demolish a bridge on the A40 autobahn at Junction 28 in Gelsenkirchen-Süd, Germany. The bridge was used to carry the four lanes of the A40 over the B277 main road. As the key route in the Ruhr district, the A40 is being widened to incorporate six lanes, so the old bridge needed to be demolished.
    Read More

Highlighted Content