Arkansas bridge stands tall despite demolition attempt

Plans to demolish a bridge in Arkansas took a bit longer than expected when it proved to be stronger than the explosives used in a failed attempt to bring it down.

The 93-year-old Broadway Bridge connected Little Rock and North Little Rock, Ark., NPR reports. Because the bridge was determined to be structurally deficient, the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) made plans to implode the bridge at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11.  A crowd even assembled to watch the action.

But after the explosions roared and the dust settled, nothing had happened.

Like a Rocky Balboa made of steel and asphalt, the Broadway Bridge remained standing after contractors detonated charges placed at strategic locations, according to Fayetteville, Ark. TV station 5News.  

The AHTD acknowledged their opponent's resiliency with this tweet:

Well, that didn't go quite as planned…. #BroadwayBridge #TheDayTheBridgeStoodStill pic.twitter.com/RFuVUYEXZ6

— AHTD (@AHTD) October 11, 2016

Crews then tried to use cables to pull the bridge into the water. After a valiant fight, the bridge finally collapsed later that afternoon, Arkansas Online reports. However, the bridge wasn’t completely demolished until later Saturday, when a pneumatic ram was called in to bring down the bridge’s final concrete arch. 

The AHTD is working to replace the bridge with a new one, with the project expected to be completed at the end of next March, according to 5News.

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