Pennsylvania bridge crashes into Allegheny River in controlled implosion [video]

The Hulton Bridge in the Pittsburgh suburb of Oakmont came tumbling down into the Allegheny River in seconds on Jan. 26, 2016, by a controlled implosion.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDot) has assembled a team of professionals to design, manage, and construct the replacement for the Jonathon Hulton Bridge, a Parker Pratt through Truss structure built in 1908. 

District 11 Executive Dan Cessna and PennDOT officials joined local community leaders to view the implosion of Hulton Bridge over the Allegheny River in Harmar Township and Oakmont Borough.

“While it is sad to see an old bridge that has served these communities so faithfully, taken down so quickly, it is an important step in the completion of our project,” said Cessna. “The new, modern Hulton Bridge, with elegant design details, will allow the region to grow and prosper.”

A safety zone extending up to 1,000 feet in some directions was implemented around the bridge and a brief traffic stoppage occurred for the implosion. Crews will had 72 hours to remove the structure from the main navigational channel. Additional work will continue outside of the 300-foot-wide channel.

The bridge will be replaced through a $65.7 million bridge replacement project over the Allegheny River that began in September 2013. The new structure is approximately 1,600 feet long and 69 feet wide and will carry two 11-foot lanes of traffic in each direction with six-foot shoulders. A single-lane restriction on the bridge continues in the eastbound direction as crews conduct wing-wall construction and complete roadway reconstruction. This work will be completed in early May.

Brayman Construction Corp., is the prime contractor. DemTech LLC is the explosive subcontractor.

Additional project information is available at  http://thehultonbridge.com/