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August 7, 2006

Underwater blasts tomorrow for old Jamestown span

A series of underwater explosions are planned tomorrow as the demolition of the old Jamestown Bridge continues.

The explosions will not be as spectacular as the above-water detonations earlier in the year, but traffic will be slightly affected from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the state Department of Transportation.

Instead of closing the new bridge altogether for half-hour blocks, as initially planned, state troopers plan to execute a "rolling block" on bridge traffic by "traveling very slowly in all lanes of travel and momentarily clearing traffic from the bridge," the DOT said in a statement.

Tomorrow's underwater explosions will involve two detonations on the North Kingstown side of Narragansett Bay. The explosives will remove two piers to the mud line, about 15 feet deep, according to the DOT.

These detonations are among the last steps involved in razing the old bridge that once connected North Kingstown and Jamestown. The contractor has spent the past several weeks using jackhammer-like devices to break apart the concrete piers to the waterline.

The Coast Guard plans to establish a 3,000-foot safety zone on either side of the bridge during tomorrow's detonations.

If delayed due to weather, alternative dates are Wednesday, Aug. 9, and Thursday, Aug. 10. The forecast for those days, however, is for fair weather.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 6:46 PM | Permalink

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