Seneca Bridge

Welcome back Anonymous! Please note the sarcasm in my owner's post.

I doubt anyone said that, elder Elder. Mainly people wanted to be able to cross the river and bridges across were few and far between at the time.

Concrete structures currently are being replaced by concrete. Nothing new in the way of plastic or glass or other building materials. A bridge made from recycled pop bottles, interesting no?

Maybe the concrete one will be historic someday, but only if all the other ones are replaced with a new fangled design.

Sarcasm on: Looking at the photographs of the bowstring bridge being replaced, I can't help but wonder if some local said in 1932 "look at that ugly monstrosity they are builiding - it looks like every other hideous Pennsylvania truss I crossed today" Sarcasm off.

Hahaha, I love that temporary construction platform in Pics 2 & 3, from the top of the bowstring to the pier of the newer bridge! OSHA would be having fits about that these days! HA!!

Nice pictures of the WIBCo tubular bowstring spans from the 1870's-1880's

1933 photos are by Art Kistler, IDOT employee. 1986 bridge plate should say "rebuilt 1986". Older bridge was a Phoenix truss.

Nathan

I also noticed that the old gal made them work a bit harder to take her out.

I can see demolition if leaving the existing structure in place would leave a narrower nav channel or is structurally dangerous but that does not seem to be the case here so most likely it's one less possible liability problem for the state.

HAHAHAHA.........found this link for a news report that was going to show the implosion live.......but they botched it and missed the whole thing!

A little humor to lighten the gloom of this situation!

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/wgn-morning-news-brid...

Got ya covered Matthew!......besides, I've not given one to Illinois DOT yet.........

To Anthony Dillon: Hey, I think that one of your "awards" has been earned by IDOT on this one, if you catch my drift!

I almost vomit when I watch the demolition video. I will never understand why so many people actually ENJOY watching historic bridge demolitions. It is such senseless destruction.

But its worth noting that they couldn't even demolish the bridge right, half the explosives didn't even go off. Its obvious in the video that it doesn't drop correctly.

IDOT spent millions completely rehabbing this bridge less than 25 years ago and we were told at that time we'd easily get 50 more years out of it. I don't understand why they felt they had to build a new bridge since it didn't add any lanes, there was nothing wrong with the old one, and now the traffic pattern is screwed up because they moved the new bridge in the wrong direction from the old one.

The demolition of this historic bridge makes me sick to my stomach, and I don't live anywhere near here! It astounds me to think of the waste of money that is being generated by this process, when nobody would have to spend one thin dime to at least leave it in place, completely closed, for the public to view from the new ugly bridge, or from the water below. At least they would have something to look at to prevent them from falling asleep at the wheel driving across this new bland, booooring waste of material.

Center span came down today...

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/11/illinois-river-br...

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=...

Correction: The bridge will get the 1st of two implosions at 7AM 11/18/2010.

Get ready to gray scale the image and subdue the link as word through the grapevine is that the first implosions are to begin this Thursday (11 18 2010)so I'd say it's safe to chalk this one up in the "lost" category by the end of November.

New bridge was dedicated yesterday and opened up to traffic today.

http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=416785

The city of Seneca and IDOT report that the UCEB will open to automobile traffic on 10-29-2010. I assume that demolition of the old bridge will soon follow. Better get out and see this one while you still can.

I could not find current news on the status of the bridge so I contacted ILDOT and they report this bridge will be demolished in Fall of 2010. So there is still a little more time to visit this bridge.

A new bridge is currently being constructed alongside to the east as of 12/08