REVISED - LAKE CHAMPLAIN BRIDGE DEMOLITION ON SCHEDULE

ALBANY, NY (12/27/2009)(readMedia)-- The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the Vermont Transportation Agency (VTrans) today announced confirmed that the Lake Champlain Bridge will be imploded tomorrow, December 28, 2009 at 10 A.M. The blast contractor, Advanced Explosives Demolition, Inc. (AED as well as NYSDOT staff worked through Christmas Day and the weekend to assure that the demolition could occur on the newly scheduled date.

AED has established safety protocols for employees and for the public to which they must adhere. The public will be prohibited from the area immediately surrounding the bridge, including the land, water and air. A safety zone of 1,000 feet has been established for land access and a 2,000 foot no-fly zone has been established by the Federal Aviation Association (FAA). Access to certain roads also will be restricted to ensure public safety. The public is urged to abide by the safety zones for their protection.

In order to protect the public during the Lake Champlain Bridge demolition and subsequent debris removal, the United States Coast Guard (USGS) has established a water safety zone of a minimum of 1,000 feet on either side of the bridge. No vessels, vehicles or persons are permitted within this area without approval from the Captain of the Port, Coast Guard Sector Northern New England. This safety zone is effective from 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 20, 2009 through Thursday, April 15, 2010 to allow the channel to be cleared of debris. Any questions regarding the safety zone should be directed to the Coast Guard Sector Northern New England Command Center at 207-767-0302.

The blast contractor, Advanced Explosives Demolition, Inc. (AED), is responsible for the planning and execution of the controlled explosive demolition of the historic span. In order to assure for public safety, and to accommodate the expected number of people interested in seeing the demolition in person, the boat launch in Port Henry has been determined as providing the best unobstructed views of the bridge, weather permitting.

All those planning to view the bridge demolition in person are warned to plan for bitterly cold temperatures, and should dress warmly. The implosion will be preceded by a series of sirens which will be the countdown to the implosion and will sound at 10 minutes, 5 minutes, and 1 minute before the blast. People with health conditions prohibiting them from being exposed to extreme cold and loud noises exceeding 130 decibels should not plan to attend.

The public is also advised to plan for heavy traffic in the area of the Port Henry boat launch. Traffic control measures will be in place the morning of demolition and a limited number of chemical toilets will be available at the site. Limited parking is available at the site. Police officers will be on hand to direct traffic and variable message signs will update motorists regarding parking availability. An alternate suggested viewing area is located at the Bulwagga Bay Park in the town of Moriah, however, no facilities will be available in this location.

A live broadcast of the bridge demolition will be available on the Internet. The public may be advised that they can watch the demolition live demolition from the comfort of their homes or offices from https://www.nysdot.gov/lakechamplainbridge or www.nysdot.gov/webcast on Monday morning, December 28. A live satellite link will also be provided for media who would prefer to download it, rather than send a crew to Crown Point. A press release with these coordinates will be issued on Sunday, December 27.

The following road closures will be put into place:

Bridge Road will be closed to traffic at 7 p.m. on Sunday, December 27, at the entrance to the Crown Point Historic Site and east of Lake Road (County Road 48) except for credentialed persons. Local residents will be allowed past the closure point upon presentation of identification that specifies their address. The closure will stay in effect until 5 p.m. on December 28.

Bridge Road at Route 9N and Lake Road at Burdick Road will be closed beginning at 5 a.m. on Monday, December 28. At these two locations, local residents will be allowed to proceed upon presentation of identification that includes their address.

In addition, Harbor Lane will be closed at Bulwagga Bay Road effective Monday, December 28 at 5:00 a.m. until traffic has been cleared following bridge demolition.

Further information can also be obtained at https://www.nysdot.gov/lakechamplainbridge.