KDOT to Close Us Highway 77 Today for Old Bridge Implosion

The Kansas Department of Transportation will close the new US-77 Big Blue River Bridge at Blue Rapids for approximately 20 minutes at 2:00 p.m. today as crews implode the old US-77 Big Blue River Bridge structure. When imploded  only the structural steel on the bridge will fall as the bridge piers will remain in place and will be removed after the structural steel is removed. Flaggers will direct traffic during the implosion time frame.

For the safety of the public, no one will be allowed within 1,000 feet of the end of either bridge structure. There wil be no access to the new bridge during the implosion.

Kansas Department of Transportation staff will be filming and taking photos during the implosion. The video and photos will be available at a later time.

Cleanup work for the old bridge removal should be completed in the next two weeks. There is still some pavement striping, clean up and finishing work needed on the entire project. Thus, there will still be some lane closures as crews complete this project work. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by late December 2012.