MOLINE, Ill. — The fourth and final old I-74 bridge demolition took place early Sunday morning, with the explosion going off shortly after 7:30 a.m.
The focus of this weekend's demolition was the anchorage, the large concrete structure that provided the stability for the bridge's cables, on the side closest to the Moline side of the Mississippi River.
The demolition contractor, Helm Group, used controlled explosives to remove the anchorage. The team previously performed controlled explosions for pieces of the bridge on June 18, Aug. 27 and Oct. 15.
Certain areas around the location were closed during the demolition event. The new I-74 bridge was closed to traffic for around one hour.
The main navigation channel in the Mississippi River will be closed for up to 24 hours, starting at 6 a.m. on Sunday. Areas outside the main channel will be closed for up to 12 hours.