This week’s Wrecking Wednesday highlights the demolition package of two separate bridges, which included concrete deck removal, and demolition of a steel two-span truss bridge spanning over Otter Creek, located in the City of Rutland, VT. This full project included realignment and roadwork relative to the new girder bridge, as well as realignment and roadwork, along with removal of the existing truss bridge once the new bridge was constructed.
Our crew began removing portions of the concrete bridge deck and sidewalk along River Street where we placed barges below to catch demolition debris from falling into Otter Creek. The truss bridge on River Street included both a thru truss as well as a pony truss, which would be removed in similar fashion. Our excavators detached the steel from the center pier and began pulling the Pony truss out of the water, where it would be cut up in portions to be disposed at an offsite location. The thru truss would also be detached from the center pier and abutment, but a portion of the steel bridge would remain on the barge below as we pulled it closer to land. The truss bridge was cut up in smaller sections and then disposed of at an offsite location.
The second set of truss bridges located on Ripley Street would be removed similarly as River Street, but instead of using barges to contain the deck removal debris, we utilized our modular containment system to efficiently catch the debris and dispose of it for recycling. Our crew removed each deck from the two spans, working back from the center pier, and detached the steel trusses. Excavators on each side pulled the steel out of the water onto land, where they would cut it into portions to also be removed and recycled at an offsite location.
