The result of the weeks work

Quite to my surprise this is entry 100 on this blog.

I've just returned from reviewing the scene at the bridge demolition. As you can see from the picture below it's as good as gone.

This section of wall below is about all that remains untouched.

Day 72 what I was waiting all week for

Now come on. I was there for over a hour. You didn't think that I missed a close up of the side panel being lifted away did you?

Friday at the Bridge

I arrived at the bridge about 2pm on Friday afternoon expecting that the side facing Riverside Park would be removed. In fact I was hoping quite desperately that it hadn't happened yet. I was not to be disappointed. When I arrived a good sized crowd had gathered as the removal of the side was underway.

Things were naturally proceeding quite carefully and a closer inspection of the pillars revealed that there was a rather ominous crack in the pillar.
Still after much to-ing and fro-ing and careful winching the side ended up on the south bank of the river where it would be broken up into rubble.
Leaving the pillar still standing precariously by itself.

Thursday at the bridge

On Thursday evening I was greeted by the sorry site of only the central section remaining and even that had most of its decking removed. Yesterdays picture of the day showed that happening to a section of the deck.

I watched the process intently and looked up at the crane jibs silhouetted against the cloudy sky...
The section was lifted onto a couple of steel trestles in the river where it was carefully watched into placed by one of the workmen
Then the section of deck was roughly hauled up the bank to be broken up...

Wednesdays Bridge work

Time for a bit of catch up. Here are some shots of the bridge demolition from Wednesday. As I arrived as the sun was setting I was expecting to see the middle section removed but no, most of the south bank sections had been taken instead.

and the decking sections were piled up on the north bank of the river.
While on the south bank workers stood around one of the excavators peering into the engine compartment as they are wont to do.

Day 71 Removal

I was pretty lucky when I went down to check on the latest bridge removal progress this evening they were actually removing a section of the bridge deck

Bridgework Tuesday

Here are some views of the demolition work going on on the bridge as for 6pm on Tuesday. As you can see one section of deck has been removed and is being demolished on the river bank in the second picture. I expect to see the middle section removed when I go back on Wednesday evening.

Day 69 Drilling

A grey day in town is apt conditions for the demolition of the Dunn bridge. Here a worker drills some preparatory holes for the removal of the centre span

The bridge is coming down

Well as I've alluded to in a previous entry the Dunn Memorial Bridge in town is coming down sad but necessary as it may well fall down. Work has now started a feeling more like myself after a mornings rest I drove down to riverside park to see what was going on. Here's a few shots of the start of work.

Above and below: Sides are as good as removed

Above: This pillar remains to hold up a safety cable
Above: Excavator works at dumping rubble into the river for some construction purpose

Day 68 paying the price

Tough day the day after a marathon all I wanted to do was rest. So this morning I hobbled across the road to collect the mail camera in hand and snapped this temporary road sign associated with the tearing down of the bridge in town

Dunn bridge on The Rum River (p.a.d. 44)

This morning, I was out bright and early looking for a picture in the morning light but nowhere I went for a picture "spoke" to me. Them some clouds rolled in so I headed home with the thought of a six mile run ahead of me. As I drove into town I saw that the water level was well up in the river so I thought it worth investigating. As I roamed about Riverside Park a sucker hole appeared in the clouds and lit up the bridge. There we go there's my picture.

As the bridge is due for demolition and replacement with a new structure this summer the picture serves as a nice scenic memento.