The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department had an embarrassingly difficult time on Tuesday trying to use a bunch of explosives to destroy an outdated bridge in Little Rock.
The demolition of the 93-year-old Broadway Bridge was a big event locally. A few thousand gawkers and a herd of reporters showed up to take in the scene.
As planned, workers detonated their carefully-placed explosives just after 10 a.m., reports Little Rock ABC affiliate KATV.
There was a rumbly bang. There were some wafts of black smoke. And then … nothing. Not one thing — except for the Broadway Bridge still standing proudly.
A CLOSER LOOK: Here's a video a viewer shot of the Broadway Bridge. pic.twitter.com/wwrkiX9UTV
— Sarafina Brooks (@KATVSarafina) October 11, 2016
The gathered gawkers were not impressed.
Crowd reaction to failed implosion: "are you kidding?" pic.twitter.com/AYaH9cLsfv
— Sarafina Brooks (@KATVSarafina) October 11, 2016
The people in charge of exploding the bridge then proceeded to Plan B, and C, and D and so forth and so on.
Hwy Dept: We are inspecting the bridge in a yellow "man basket" #arnews #katv7 pic.twitter.com/ggPzoYglqM
— Angela Rachels (@arachels) October 11, 2016
This crane barge was just towed over to the bridge… @KATVNews pic.twitter.com/sXqY40QFRr
— Brian Emfinger (@brianemfinger) October 11, 2016
Crews tell me they have attached cables to the bridge and they will attempt to pull it down in a few minutes. pic.twitter.com/3vobm4dxCW
— Sarafina Brooks (@KATVSarafina) October 11, 2016
Watch the crane move–Third attempt to pull and it looks like the Broadway Bridge is here to stay…at least for now! @KATVNews pic.twitter.com/RW7UyN7QxM
— Marine Glisovic KATV (@KATVMarine) October 11, 2016
4th attempt unsuccessful @KATVNews pic.twitter.com/7JxcRM2NcF
— Brian Emfinger (@brianemfinger) October 11, 2016
Reporters and perhaps a few stray, seriously easy-to-entertain onlookers hung tough on the scene.
I'm still here as #BridgeWatch2016 marches into its 5th hour. Unlike myself, the bridge STILL stands. pic.twitter.com/h21u921N6d
— Sarafina Brooks (@KATVSarafina) October 11, 2016
Some five long hours — and eight attempts — after the first effort to bring down the bridge, highway department workers finally managed to pull off the feat.
WATCH: Down goes the #BroadwayBridge! https://t.co/lojDP51vlV pic.twitter.com/ravBMhkdVq
— KATV News (@KATVNews) October 11, 2016
Here is the river now that engineers finally managed to destroy the bridge.
And it's gone!!! pic.twitter.com/LFaoU7NLBz
— Sarafina Brooks (@KATVSarafina) October 11, 2016
Transportation officials later told reporters that the explosives actually worked to collapse the bridge’s steel arches. It all went totally as planned. The problem, they swore, was that the bridge more or less folded onto itself.
Construction of a new bridge to replace the now-finally-collapsed Broadway Bridge is expected to take about six months.
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