Progress Made On Demolishing Damaged Bridge Near Big Sur
BIG SUR, Monterey County (CBS SF) – The northernmost third of the condemned Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge south of Big Sur has been demolished, Caltrans officials said Thursday evening, after issues with the 6,000-pound wrecking ball that slowed the project earlier this week.
The bridge, located on state Highway 1 just south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, has been out of commission for a month, since officials determined it was collapsing and closed it to all traffic on Feb. 15.
Both support pillars as well as the bridge deck were damaged by landslides at a hillside nearby.
The closure has been particularly restrictive to the hundreds of people who live in the Big Sur area, who have been restricted to controlled access times for propane deliveries, trash pickups and other essentials.
On Monday, crews found that the wrecking ball was not hitting the bridge with enough force. A crane specialist arrived at the site Tuesday to correct the problem, Caltrains spokesman Jim Shivers said.
About a dozen workers are assigned to the job, including a crane operator and a welder to cut through steel rebar under the concrete.
The demolition will continue on Thursday, though Shivers said he couldn't predict when the bridge would be completely demolished.
The rebuilding process for a new bridge in its place will take between nine and 12 months, Shivers said.
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