Explosive end to river crossing that opened in 1931.
A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said they successfully brought down one truss span of the Old Ledbetter Bridge near Paducah.
Boat traffic on the Tennessee River was halted for about 90 minutes by the U.S. Coast Guard. KYTC said there were several audible warning signals, then a countdown, followed by a flash and puff of smoke from the explosive charges.
As sound of the explosion echoed along the river banks, KYTC said the steel truss dropped into about 30 feet of water below the bridge.
Once an all-clear was issued, river traffic was allowed to resume and a crane was moved in to start pulling steel from the river. The constractor believes it should take about 48 hours to remove the steel and place it on barges to be hauled to a scrap yard.
On Monday, Sept. 15, a crew placed explosives at nine key points on the truss closest to the McCracken County shore of the Tennessee River.
There was four, 400 foot sections all together. The first 400 foot section came down on Tuesday, Sept. 16. Next week a second 400 foot section on the Smithland side will come down and then the middle 400 foot section will come down the following week. After that, the pillars will be blasted.
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