MoDOT blasts bridge over Lake of the Ozarks

The first section of the nearly 80-year-old Hurricane Deck Bridge was demolished Dec. 7 with 31 pounds of explosives set by the Missouri Department of Transportation.
 
Saturday’s blast was the first of three in the $32 million bridge replacement project, and the remaining blasts are scheduled every two weeks, according to KOMU. About 740 feet of steel truss was removed on the north side of the bridge by MoDOT contractor American Bridge Co. along with subcontractor Duane Houkom Inc.
 
Crews will spend the next couple of weeks fishing out steel from the water by crane, loading the pieces onto a barge and salvaging it.
 
The new Hurricane Deck Bridge opened in September, KOMU said.
 
"It's always a sad part of history to bring down an old structure, especially that's served so well for so long," MoDOT Central District Engineer David Silvester told the station. "There's a lot of folks who have been here for a long time that have known the old bridge and they were very moved to be able to see the old bridge and the new bridge in its state. It's exciting, but it's also sad to bring down a structure like that."
 
The original bridge opened in 1936 and was closed Sept. 9, according to LakeExpo.com.

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