The state will perform a controlled blast demolition of the 4th Street Bridge the morning of March 2.
To carry this out, crews will attach explosives to key points on the bridge “to cleanly sever steel supports so the structure can fall safely into the river below where contractors will recover the steel,” according to an announcement from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
“This type of controlled demolition is a common practice for large structures to reduce risk to work crews by minimizing their exposure to hazardous work compared to removing heavy steel piece by piece,” said Bob Yeager, KYTC District 6 chief engineer.
Preparations for the blast itself will begin at 9 a.m. Local authorities will sweep the area and clear pedestrians within a 1,000-foot perimeter of the bridge, dubbed the “secure zone.” Although homeowners within the secure zone may remain in their homes during demolition, no unauthorized people may be outside the secure zone during the blast.
All roads within the zone will close at 9:40 a.m. Roads will remain closed until contractors approve a reopening. Police and other emergency services will be stationed throughout the zone to prevent unauthorized entry. The demolition itself is scheduled to occur at 10:01 a.m.
Riverboat Row in Newport will close Sunday night and remain closed until Monday at 11 a.m.
After the blast, specialized crews will work over the next four days to retrieve steel and debris from the Licking River. The Licking River will be closed to all water traffic during that time.
Get more details and read FAQs at ky8bridge.org/demolition-day.