demolition

2012-04-22: All that remains of the Ambassador Bridge's famous Pier 19 this Sunday afternoon is a berm of concrete rubble along the edge of Fort Street, Detroit. Michigan DOT's contractors, working on bridge company property under the order of a county court judge, worked through the weekend.

Gregg Ward operator of the Detroit Windsor Truck Ferry took the pictures nearby. He says rubble was being loaded into dump trucks this morning.

Demolition of the Ambassador Bridge's Pier 19 got into full swing today. Michigan DOT's contractor working under a county judge's order broke up the deck above and began removal of the precast concrete I-beams below. Once the beams are all removed they'll attack the columns far right.

With Michigan DOT demolition squads at work on the Ambassador Bridge Gateway Plaza there are reports of huge backups. The bridge company says that the traffic tie-ups today were "the worst since 9/11."

Monday was the first day under control of a Michigan DOT. Their contractor began serious demolition work today. This involved narrowing of traffic to one lane each direction for much of the day.

They never seem to stop trying to blow up bridges out there in Kansas on the great plains. No matter the season - dust storms, tornado season, deep freeze - nothing will stop the Kansas Turnpike from scheduling a bridge blow.