COVINGTON, KY – It’s not every day that you can see an explosion take out a bridge, but you’ll get the chance next week.
A controlled blast will bring down the Fourth Street Bridge – which connects Newport and Covington – around 10 a.m. on March 2.
“Crews will place carefully engineered charges at specific locations to cleanly sever the steel supports so the bridge can fall safely,” Jake Ryle, a spokesperson for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, said in a video.
Similar blasts were used in the demolition of the Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati and the Smithland Bridge in Paducah.
“Performing this kind of controlled blast is safer for our crew and safer for the community,” Ryle said. “It also saves construction time, meaning we can get the new signature bridge open sooner
How to watch the demolition
Nobody will be permitted within a 1,000-foot secure zone near the bridge, Ryle said in an email. First responders will begin sweeping the area around 9:15 a.m., though residents will be permitted to stay in their homes during the explosion.
The pedestrian area near Ovation on the River will likely be closed during the demolition, and Riverboat Row will also be closed.
So where can you catch a view of the explosion?
The transportation cabinet isn’t publicizing where people can watch the explosion. But a few nearby places offer a clear view of the bridge.
That includes:
A two-year closure
The bridge, also known as the KY 8 Licking River Bridge, closed Jan. 12.
About 11,600 vehicles and more than 700 pedestrians used the bridge to travel between Covington and Newport every day, according to the transportation cabinet.
The new bridge is expected to open by summer 2028, with construction slated to finish that fall.
The $99.6 million bridge will feature three steel arches over a single deck with two lanes in each direction. Each side of the bridge will also include 12-foot shared-use paths, The Enquirer previously reported.
Free shuttle service between cities
While the bridge is closed, the transportation cabinet is offering free shuttle rides for pedestrians via TANK bus.
The shuttle will make four stops in Covington and Newport roughly every thirty minutes
It runs from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Controlled blast to bring down local bridge. Here’s how to watch
Reporting by Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
