“Explosive packaging” cited in implosion delay.
Caltrans’ much-touted plan to implode the largest concrete pier of the old Bay Bridge eastern span has been delayed a week until Nov. 14 because of packaging problems with the dynamite needed to destroy the structure, agency officials said Tuesday.
The chief engineer of the eastern span construction project, Brian Maroney, said officials decided to delay the implosion after determining that the packaging material holding hundreds of dynamite charges was not strong enough and could fall apart, possibly preventing the explosion from being powerful enough to destroy the almost 8-decade-old pier.
“It wouldn’t work as planned,” Maroney said.
Caltrans plans to install 20,000 pounds of explosives in charges weighing 20 to 35 pounds apiece throughout the 80-by-140-foot pier at the western end of what remains of the old span.
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