Weather delays demolition of center pier of Fairfax Bridge

Rainy weather the past couple days has forced crews to delay the demolition of the center pier of the Fairfax Bridge.

Crews have rescheduled the work for about 1 p.m. Monday, at which time they will use explosives to bring down the pier. The blast, which will occur below the water line of the Missouri River, originally was scheduled for Friday.

Because of the work, U.S. 69 will be closed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday. No public viewing will be available.

The demolition work is part of a project to replace the Fairfax and Platte Purchase bridges with a single bridge. The new bridge is to open in late 2016.

Crews earlier this year used a series of blasts to remove the Fairfax Bridge’s steel truss structure.

The bridge had carried southbound U.S. 69 traffic, but all traffic is now being carried on the adjacent Platte Purchase Bridge.

This story was originally published March 20, 2015 at 7:54 AM with the headline "Weather delays demolition of center pier of Fairfax Bridge."