Demolition of McClugage Bridge reaches halfway point

The staged demolition of the old eastbound span of the McClugage Bridge in Peoria in Illinois, US, has reached its midpoint, with half of the eight scheduled explosive events now completed.

Works to remove the 975-metre structure, which has spanned the Illinois River since 1948, began in after a replacement bridge was partially opened earlier this year.

The fourth and most recent explosive blast took place on the evening of April 28 and, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), was the only one to be carried out at night.

Like the three previous blasts, it was originally planned to take place on a weekday morning, however inclement weather meant it had to be brought forward by 36 hours.

The nighttime blast was the largest of the eight planned events. It successfully brought down the main truss section of the McClugage Bridge, which runs 975 metres long and has spanned the Illinois River since 1948.

The first three explosive events──which targeted the bridge’s steel girders of spans 24 to 30 and the underdeck truss──took place on 27 March, 9 April and 16 April. The the next four are scheduled to be conducted within the next month, also at a rate of roughly one a week, although specific dates are yet to be confirmed.

According to IDOT, the upcoming explosive events-which are all subject to weather and river conditions-will target the steel girders of spans 18 to 26, the remainder of the underdeck truss, concrete piers11 and 12, with the final blast set to demolish concrete pier 13.