MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC/Gray News) – A bridge in Minnesota damaged during this summer’s severe flooding was brought down with explosives.
A subcontractor of the company hired to remove the County Road 9 bridge over the Blue Earth River used explosive charges to sever and fall the bridge.
The roadway surface and the majority of the bridge structure were removed over the last several weeks. All that remained were the bridge’s steel support beams.
Those beams were brought down in Wednesday’s planned detonation.
County officials said everything went according to plan.
In the coming weeks, the contractor will work on removing the bridge beam debris and demolishing the standing bridge piers.
Heavy rain last June caused severe flooding that breached the Rapidan Dam on the western side of the bridge. Erosion around the supports of the bridge led county officials to decide to remove and replace the bridge due to safety concerns.
Blue Earth County recently hired Barr Engineering to plan the removal of the Rapidan Dam.
Removal of the dam won’t be finished until 2028 as the county is still looking for FEMA funds.
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