Bridge near DC Blew Up

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Long-Suffering Commuter Gets to Blow Up Bridge - AOL News

I think it's so stupid for them to blow up
that bridge near DC !! They SHOULD save it
as a back-up bridge in case of emergency.

I believe every highway and bridge should have
another alternative ways as a back-up
for emergency.

Do you think it's a good idea for them to
blow up this bridge ?
 
You bet! I would have loved to been the guy to push the button. I did hear that there was a lottery for a chance to be the one to get to push the button that blew it up.

I been over that thing many times in the past. Thankfully, I don't live there anymore especially after 40 years as a native. It is not a safe bridge anytime day or night. I heard one time there was a pothole so big that you could see the river through it. They have tried and tried to repair it decently and it just cost so much money for repairs. Good riddance I say.
 
You mean, they are FINALLY getting around to DOING something about the bridge? :jaw: It's about DAMN TIME! :lol:

They have been talking about doing something with the Wildrow Wilson bridge for years. I moved to Florida in '98, but I lived in Maryland most of my life; a good portion of that just roughly a half an hr from the bridge on the Maryland side, so I had heard of talk about what to do with it. This dates back to, I know, the early 90s.

But, I have mix emotions about detonating it. On the one hand, I like the idea of blowing anything up. That's just me. I think explosions are cool as long as people lives aren't in danger. :giggle: But, the practical side of me wonders about the money involved in doing it. Why not just build a bridge alongside of the old bridge. Wouldn't you save money?

We are connected by bridges down here. One of which is "The Seven Mile Bridge". Some years ago, it was also rebuilt. However, the old SMB was never destroyed. It still stands some feet away from the newer bridge. It's suitable to foot traffic, so people go on the old bridge and fish off it.

Eh. It's interesting how people think.
 
Oceanbreeze said:
...
But, I have mix emotions about detonating it. On the one hand, I like the idea of blowing anything up. That's just me. I think explosions are cool as long as people lives aren't in danger. :giggle: But, the practical side of me wonders about the money involved in doing it. Why not just build a bridge alongside of the old bridge. Wouldn't you save money?
...
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No. It would still have to open and close some 270 times a year and it got stuck at times....oh to be there in rush hour waiting for that dang thing to close...:whistle: It was way past its useful life and they really needed to get a new bridge in place.
 
sr171soars said:
No. It would still have to open and close some 270 times a year and it got stuck at times....oh to be there in rush hour waiting for that dang thing to close...:whistle: It was way past its useful life and they really needed to get a new bridge in place.
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Yeah, I guess you're right. I've just seen it done down here, where they built a new bridge alongside the old one. But, detonating it before rebuilding might make more sense.

I'm just surprised as hell that they are finally getting their shit together, and doing something! It literally took years for anything to happen.
 
I only see the positive thing come out of this blowing up the bridge which is build more better bridge that can handle more vehicles.
 
They did the same thing in Charleston this year. The new bridge was finished last year, so they blew up the two old bridges.

The old bridges hung too low to allow large ships to pass beneath, and they were in very bad condition. Also, all the entrance and exit ramps to them had to be re-routed for the new bridge. So, they couldn't be used again.
 
Reba said:
They did the same thing in Charleston this year. The new bridge was finished last year, so they blew up the two old bridges.

The old bridges hung too low to allow large ships to pass beneath, and they were in very bad condition. Also, all the entrance and exit ramps to them had to be re-routed for the new bridge. So, they couldn't be used again.
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I guess it's uncommon to let the old bridge stand, then? I wonder why they did that?
 
There is an old bridge near Portsmouth, NH and it have never been used but it closed. There is a new bridge along the side. That all I know. I dont know when it was closed or the new bridge set up. It was there before I moved to NH.
 
Depending on how an older bridge is used and whether or not they expect water traffic to go underneath, sometimes they simply reuse the bridge in other ways. For example in Cambridge Md, they left parts of the old bridge standing (if not the whole thing) for pedestrian traffic and people who like to fish. Now, that is an outstanding way to reuse an old bridge and very thoughtful too. Bridges can stand literally forever if it is not used for vehicular traffic.

In the case of the old Woodrow Wilson bridge (the one that started the thread), there was no such luck to reuse it for anything. It was just too old and too messed up to bothered with.
 
sr171soars said:
Depending on how an older bridge is used and whether or not they expect water traffic to go underneath, sometimes they simply reuse the bridge in other ways. For example in Cambridge Md, they left parts of the old bridge standing (if not the whole thing) for pedestrian traffic and people who like to fish. Now, that is an outstanding way to reuse an old bridge and very thoughtful too. Bridges can stand literally forever if it is not used for vehicular traffic.

In the case of the old Woodrow Wilson bridge (the one that started the thread), there was no such luck to reuse it for anything. It was just too old and too messed up to bothered with.
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:werd: :gpost:

The Seven Mile Bridge (in the FL Keys) was rebuilt several years ago, and the old bridge was left partially intact. It's usable to pedestrians, like you said. People fish off of it.

As for the WW Bridge, I'm NOT surprised at ALL. Glad they are finally getting to rebuilding it!
 
Oceanbreeze said:
:werd: :gpost:

The Seven Mile Bridge (in the FL Keys) was rebuilt several years ago, and the old bridge was left partially intact. It's usable to pedestrians, like you said. People fish off of it.

As for the WW Bridge, I'm NOT surprised at ALL. Glad they are finally getting to rebuilding it!
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Let you know that they already built
a brand new Wilson bridge completely done anyway.

Thats why the old Wilson bridge blew up, but
I still think it should be preserved for something else.
 
Our new bridge includes pedestrian walk way and bike lane, so there's no need for the old bridges (one new bridge replaced two old bridges).
 
Reba said:
Our new bridge includes pedestrian walk way and bike lane, so there's no need for the old bridges (one new bridge replaced two old bridges).
Click to expand...

I know what you mean as I seen those kind. Actually, it sometimes makes sense to "reuse" some old bridges especially if there there is history or other compelling reason to do so (er...like save money building the new bridge... :whistle: )
 
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