Old Kansas Turnpike/I-70 Kansas River bridges slated to come down

Started by route56, November 12, 2009, 01:27:36 AM

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route56

http://bit.ly/2v0yz9

Two-way traffic has been diverted onto the new westbound span of the new Kansas River bridge, and the Kansas Turnpike Authority is ready (ahead of schedule, to boot) to blast the old spans.

The first blast is scheduled for Sunday, November 15, at 12:30 pm. During that time, I-70 will essentially be closed to all traffic at the bridge, and no one will be allowed within 1500 feet of the blast site. Members of the public who wish to observe the blast may do so from Burcham Park, which is on the west bank of the river south of the bridges.
Peace to you, and... don't drive like my brother.

R.P.K.


route56

The KTA has issued a press release. Because of the way the KTA's site is designed, I shall quote it verbatim.

Quote from: Kansas Turnpike Authority
Additional information is now available on the Kansas Turnpike Authority's upcoming demolition of the original bridge structures across the Kansas River in Lawrence.

The steel structures that once carried I-70 traffic across the river will be removed in three phases, each of which will begin with a detonation. Two of the three dates for the demolition phases have been set: Sunday, November 15 at 12:30 p.m., and Thursday, November 19 at 10 a.m. The third date will likely be in early December. Times for the blasts are approximate and depend on weather.

During use of the explosives, Kansas Highway Patrol troopers and KTA maintenance crews will be conducting "rolling road blocks" to secure a segment of time without Turnpike traffic in the blasting area. This construction traffic-control technique has been used successfully many times on the Kansas Turnpike and usually results in minor delays for travelers. Anyone using the Turnpike near Lawrence on these two days should obey all traffic signs, construction workers and KHP troopers. Do not stop in the construction zone unless instructed to do so by KHP or KTA.

An area of at least a 1,000-foot radius from the blasting site must be free of all roadway and pedestrian traffic. KTA and contractor crews are working with the City of Lawrence and Douglas County to secure the area. The public should be aware that due to the use of explosives, access to some areas near the bridge may be restricted even further. Although some public areas will be restricted, Burcham Park is outside the 1000-foot secured perimeter and will be open.

"Our main objective is to remove the original bridge structures safely and without incident," said KTA Director of Public Relations Lisa Callahan.
On November 15, an approximate 250-foot section of the eastbound structure will be dropped onto a temporary causeway that has been constructed in the river. Most of the steel truss will land on this platform. Contractors will then remove the steel to be recycled. The process will repeat on November 19 for a section of the westbound structure. The remaining larger section of the original bridges will be removed in December.
"We know there is a lot of interest in this demolition. There should be. After all, this is where construction started for the Turnpike. It all began in Lawrence on New Year's Eve of 1954. This is a very historic event we are about to witness," said KTA President/CEO Michael L. Johnston. "In celebrating this event, we want to be certain not to compromise safety in any way."

The project to replace the two bridges began in June 2008 and includes interchange ramp improvements at Plazas 202 and 204 (East and West Lawrence), a new toll plaza with additional lanes at Plaza 204 (East Lawrence), as well as new I-70 bridges over the Kansas River through Lawrence. All traffic was moved onto one of the new bridges in late October. Immediately following the traffic switch to the new bridge, crews began removing the concrete decking of the original bridges.

The entire project is estimated to cost $130 million when complete in late 2011. For additional information, visit the project web site at www.SpanningTheFuture.com.
Peace to you, and... don't drive like my brother.

R.P.K.

route56

First off, I've uploaded a video of the first explosion to youtube and posted my photos.

Photos: http://bit.ly/4a05oX
Video: http://bit.ly/3B8MhG

Second, here's the KTA press release for the second detonation tommorow:

Quote
The second detonation to remove the Kansas Turnpike's original bridge structures across the Kansas River in Lawrence is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, November 19 at 10 a.m.

The portion to be removed on Thursday morning will include the westbound section adjacent to the segment that was removed on Sunday. The Thursday detonation will also break loose a truss joint on the bridge further to the east.

"This is a change from our original plans for Thursday's blast," said KTA project engineer Rex Fleming. "But the contractors have been studying it and we feel it will speed the removal process while remaining within our safety guidelines."

Contractors will then remove the steel to be recycled. The remaining larger section of the original bridges will be removed in December to make room for the construction of the new eastbound bridge.

Kansas Highway Patrol troopers and KTA maintenance crews will again be conducting a "rolling road block" to secure the roadway for a brief segment of time in the blasting area. This will occur in the 10 to 15 minutes surrounding the detonation. This construction traffic-control technique has been used successfully many times on the Kansas Turnpike and usually results in very minor delays for travelers. Anyone using the Turnpike near Lawrence on Thursday morning should obey all traffic signs, construction workers and KHP troopers. Do not stop in the construction zone unless instructed to do so by KHP or KTA.

An area of at least a 1,000-foot radius from the blasting site must be free of all roadway and pedestrian traffic. KTA and contractor crews are working with the City of Lawrence, and Douglas County to secure the area. Although some public areas will be restricted, Burcham Park is outside the 1,000-foot secured perimeter and will be open. Traffic on North 3rd Street/US-59 Highway will be stopped for approximately 10 minutes during the detonation due to its proximity to the blasting area.

"We know there is a lot of interest in this demolition. There should be. After all, this is where construction started for the Turnpike. It all began in Lawrence on New Year's Eve of 1954. This is a very historic event we are about to witness," said KTA President/CEO Michael L. Johnston. "In celebrating this event, we want to be certain not to compromise safety in any way."

The project to replace the two bridges began in June 2008 and includes interchange ramp improvements at Plazas 202 and 204 (East and West Lawrence), a new toll plaza with additional lanes at Plaza 204 (East Lawrence), as well as new I-70 bridges over the Kansas River through Lawrence. All traffic was moved onto one of the new bridges in late October. Immediately following the traffic switch to the new bridge, crews began removing the concrete decking of the original bridges.

The entire project is estimated to cost $130 million when complete in late 2011. For additional information, visit the project web site at www.SpanningTheFuture.com. To view a map showing the approximate 1,000-foot secure area, click here.
Peace to you, and... don't drive like my brother.

R.P.K.

route56

Video of the second Kansas River bridge demo: http://bit.ly/1Qn4gG

BTW, the person selected to actually set of the explosion, Jessica Sadler, was a member of the KU rowing team, which is appropriate, since the public viewing area was the KU Boathouse. She's also from Jenks, Okla. Now, if she only were from Kay County instead of Tulsa County.
Peace to you, and... don't drive like my brother.

R.P.K.



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