The old DiSalle Bridge of Toledo is no more.
The last of the bridge was blown up to make way for a new bridge as part of a $352 million revamp of a section of Interstate 75, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced August 27.
Here’s a video of the explosion released by ODOT:
Work on the project in Wood and Lucas counties began in late 2018 and, along with replacing the DiSalle Bridge over the Maumee River, includes widening and reconstructing I-75 to current standards and reconfiguring I-75 interchanges with the Anthony Wayne Trail, South Avenue and Miami Street for safety. ODOT expects work to be completed in 2023.
The DiSalle Bridge was nearly 60 years old. Kokosing Construction was the contractor for the section involving the DiSalle Bridge, which was a half-mile long and 60 feet high. To prepare for any structural work for the new bridge, crews had to build a causeway across the river that required hauling in 100,000 cubic yards of material, according to the company.
A future southbound replacement bridge has been completed, carrying four lanes of traffic north and south. A northbound bridge will be constructed. The bridges consist of 11 piers each with shafts up to 84 inches in diameter, according to Kokosing.
Eight other bridges are being constructed as part of the project, including a northbound I-75 bridge over the CSX railroad between Wales Road and Miami Street, a northbound I-75 bridge over Miami Street and an I-75 bridge over Erie Street, Collingwood Boulevard, Swan Creek and Anthony Wayne Trail.
ODOT estimated in April the entire project was about 60% completed.
