Illinois 104 bridge demolition set Aug. 29

MEREDOSIA - The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that a planned implosion of the remaining truss spans of the old Illinois 104 bridge over the Illinois River will take place the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 29, weather permitting.

To ensure public safety, IDOT is working with local authorities to establish and enforce a 1,500-foot perimeter for both pedestrian and river traffic beginning at 6:30 a.m. The public is urged to cooperate to keep the event on schedule.

Illinois 104 will be closed at 7:15 a.m. at Illinois 99 west of Meredosia and at Casey's General Store to the east. It is expected to reopen approximately 30 minutes after the 7:30 a.m. blast following removal of debris. The river channel will be impassable for 24 hours while crews remove the structure from the water.

The video of the first implosion from earlier this month can be viewed on the IDOT YouTube channel.

The new $86 million Illinois 104 bridge opened in June and boasts two 12-foot lanes and two 10-foot shoulders, improving safety and regional mobility.