In what will likely be the coolest Instagram video you've ever shot, a part of the old Bay Bridge is being demolished this weekend.
According to SFist, the exhausting effort needed to take down the eastern span piece by piece was simply taking too long, was too expensive, and might even hurt the surrounding wildlife. Instead, Caltrans has decided to blow up the largest concrete pier of the old Bay Bridge eastern span (Pier E3) this Saturday. Set your alarms for 9am on November 7th, when 600(!) explosives will be placed on the underground pier and detonate over the course of six seconds.
[UPDATE]: As reported by NBC, the implosion has been pushed back a week later after inspectors found certain explosive packaging "unsatisfactory." The new date is November 14th at 1pm, but is subject to change.
The demolition—which will cost $160 million— could also create a large dust cloud over the Bay. Caltrans plans to create an 'air curtain' around the pier using pipes blowing compressed air into the water, but you'll probably still want to take precautions if you plan to anywhere near the detonation site. The mat meant to minimize the amount of debris, dampen the shock waves, and protect nearby wildlife might also inhibit your view of the show.
Also, important to know: Caltrans is shutting down the new Bay Bridge (including the pedestrian path) for the fifteen minutes surrounding the detonation. Fingers crossed.
