The next demolition blast on the old eastbound span of Peoria’s McClugage Bridge is scheduled for this week.
Illinois Department of Transportation [IDOT] officials say this second explosion will be more dramatic than the first. While the first blast brought down some beams on the East Peoria side in late March, this next blast will demolish a large portion of the remaining structure.
On Wednesday morning, IDOT will close the bridge and surrounding roads for around an hour.
IDOT officials say the underdeck truss will be removed in Wednesday's implosion.
During these detonations, IDOT Engineer Nick Volk says IDOT is working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect one of the bridge’s notable residents: a threatened species of osprey.
“We are, by policy, allowed to deter them from building [nests] on the bridge we’re in the process of demolishing, really, for the safety of the birds,” said Volk. “We’re trying to convince them in the only way we know how, by not allowing them on the bridge, so that the birds can thrive and start flourishing in Illinois.”
The main truss coming down is the second of six planned blasts scheduled between now and mid-June. After demolition work is complete, Volk says all traffic will be moved onto the new eastbound bridge and rehabilitation work will start on the westbound span.
The blasts are spaced out by at least a week, some with a two to three week distance, to allow for cleanup of debris from the previous detonation. The build-up to Wednesday’s large blast includes some specific projects.
“They’re getting the steel beams out of the river and they’re subsequently breaking down three concrete piers that are out there and building their road,” said Volk.
This last week, Volk says engineers have pre-cut some of the steel beams to help the structure drop straight down Wednesday.
Volk says the first blast ran very smoothly, but IDOT wants to remind any spectators and members of the public to respect the security perimeters in place.
“It is monitored by contractor personnel and first responders, law enforcement and it’s all in the interest of safety,” he said. “We’re not going to discourage anyone from wanting to come out and see it. It’s absolutely something a lot of people want to see, we just ask you respect that security perimeter.”
Volk says IDOT expects rehabilitation work on the westbound span will start in early 2026 and be completed sometime in 2027.
