Fast 14

Hello. As I mentioned sometime this past June They are replacing 14 bridges that span streets and the river heading about 7 miles north of Boston. I posted a few pictures and a video of the laying down of the new road bed but I never got to see the demolition of the old bridge. They started working their way north on the north bound lanes and now they are working their way north on the southbound lanes. What's really remarkable is that they start on a Friday evening at 6 p.m. and by 5 p.m. on Monday morning they are finished with the new road surface. The bridges aren't completely finished cosmetically but all four lanes are open again. They do two lanes at a time. Traffic continues on two lanes then when they are done the new lanes are reopened and the remove and replace the remain two. All in the span of a little over two days. So on Friday evening a few neighbors and I walked down to the bridge to witness the demolition. I didn't see all of it. We only a little over an hour as it got very dusty. They closed the road below the bridge at 6 and started demolishing the roadbed at about 8:15. I did take pictures of the massive cranes and jack hammers but they didn't do it justice. I'll include a couple. I did take video which I broke into two separate clips because it would have been too long as one.

This was the scene before they began.

The cranes looked like two prehistoric beasts feeding on a carcass.

To the left of the bridge is a Hyatt Hotel used, I imagine, used by people from out of town who want easy access, when the highway isn't chocked by traffic during rush hour, into Boston 5 miles away. This is the highway that leads to the new Zakim bridge and various tunnels all part of the never ending Big Dig. To the right is a 15 story (just a guess) retirement complex. I felt sorry for these people because it was noisy! At least it is over in about two days.
Here are the two little films.

 Anyway this little demonstration of destruction and rebuilding will all be done by the end of August. I can hear all the work at night from where I live. It's only a 10 minute walk to two of the bridges but all in all quite an achievement considering what is being done. Alrighty then It's time for a late supper.
I'm outta here.