Bridge From 1935 Imploded Over River

The Gassaway Bridge spanned more than 157 feet across the Elk River in West Virginia. According to the West Virginia Department of Transportation, this bridge once saw about 1,900 cars per day. As it aged, restrictions were placed on how heavy the vehicles that crossed it could be. On January 9th, DOT contractors “placed explosive charges on key points of the old bridge.” The already weakened steel trusses easily gave way, dropping the 89-year-old bridge into the water.