Watch Dooker's Hollow Bridge implosion in North Braddock
Dooker’s Hollow Bridge stood for 80 years, but it barely took a minute for 96 expertly placed explosive charges to bring it down on Saturday.
Placing the explosives for the bridge’s implosion is technical work done using a large crane, Allegheny County Public Works officials said.
Recent snow and windy conditions slowed the work.
“Safety is our top priority, so Public Works is giving Allison Park Contractors, Inc. and Demtech, LLC the time they need to ensure the bridge is imploded without any issues,” Public Works spokesman Brent Wasko said in a statement last week, when the implosion was delayed.
The Dooker’s Hollow Bridge, which opened in 1940, carries 2,415 vehicles daily. The previous structure was a 635-foot arched cantilever truss bridge. The new one will be a 660-foot steel girder bridge, Public Works officials said.
Dooker's Hollow Bridge in East Pittsburgh and North Braddock was imploded today to make way for the construction of a new bridge #Boom @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/1KaMzSWEcg
— Shane Dunlap (@shanedunlap) February 13, 2021
Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.
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