Open Letter Regarding Bridge Implosion

Implosion Wayfinder SignDear Neighbors:

Beginning Sunday morning you will be seeing a large deployment by DPW of barricades and fencing in the neighborhood. Through the course of Sunday and early Monday morning, they will be walling off the exclusion zone in preparation for the blast. The barriers will be a combination of metal pedestrian fencing, wooden DPW barricades, and in some cases DPW vehicles. These barricades are intended to keep everyone safe.

Barricades will be in Greenfield for the implosion

Beginning Monday morning at 7 AM, you will see a sizable police presence at key streets leading to the exclusion zone, restricting the streets to local resident vehicles (pedestrians will have full access to those streets).  Please see the attached map for a description of the exclusion zone and the restricted streets.

Greenfield Bridge implosion -- exclusion zone

Residents of closed streets will need proof of identification to drive beyond the barricades. This is necessary to control the “Mount Washington” effect – a large number of non-residents are expected in Greenfield that morning looking for the Greenfield Bridge.  Unfortunately, there is no good, safe public viewing area in Greenfield. The City is promoting Schenley P­ark as the public viewing space and has installed wayfinder signs to direct people to that location.

The countdown will begin once the perimeter and exclusion zone are secured. At the three minute mark, there will be three long air horn blasts. At the one minute mark, there will be 15 seconds of all emergency vehicle sirens on. That will be last audible warning the public will hear. At the 10 second mark, a televised countdown will commence with our own Greenfielder, Sally Scheidlmeier, getting ready to “Push the Plunger” and bring down the bridge.

Following the implosion, crews will be inspecting the aftermath and collecting measuring equipment throughout the exclusion zone before an “all clear” signal is given. That signal will consist of a long air horn blast. The perimeter and traffic barricades will remain in place until City public safety officials are comfortable with their removal. It is estimated that this period will be roughly 15 minutes long

Understand there will be live explosives placed in the bridge as well as a considerable amount of media attention focused on the implosion and the neighborhood. This is a significant, yet necessary, undertaking that will inconvenience Greenfield. Your patience and cooperation will not only be necessary for the safety of all but also greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Geoff Campbell, President
Patrick Hassett, Board Member
Greenfield Community Association

You May Also Like