Monday, December 28, 2009

Lake Champlain Bridge Demolished

The Lake Champlain bridge, which had been closed to all traffic since October 16 because of serious concerns about its structural integrity was demolished today in a controlled demolition (video here).

It was all too visible why this bridge needed to be shut down; it was literally crumbling before your eyes.

Currently, there is no direct route between Crown Point, N.Y., and Addison, Vt. except for a ferry. A new bridge is expected to be in place by the summer of 2011, but it means adding 100 miles and hours commuting time between the two communities in the meantime.

There are several different types of bridges being considered as the replacement span. I think that one of the two arch designs will win out because of the similarity to the original span, but I think the cable stayed bridges may provide a unique and distinctive replacement.

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