So what exactly will be going on while Angelenos are stuck in a sea of traffic or waiting patiently at home? First of all, the process won't be a spectacle, Metro insists. It will involve no explosives -- rather, the demolition will be performed by giant jack hammers "nibbling away at the structure."
You can view a live feed here, or see below for a detailed schedule of the demolition:
Friday, July 15 at 7 p.m.: Caltrans and city crews will begin closing off freeway ramps and nearby surface streets. Metro says that the construction area will be lit up "like the Astrodome."
Friday, July 15 at midnight: 85 trucks will begin to bring in 1,400 cubic yards of dirt, which they will spread under the bridge to make a four-foot deep cushion to protect the pavement from falling debris as the bridge is dismantled, reports the Daily News.
Saturday, July 16 at 2 a.m.: Workers will cut slots through the top deck of the bridge with a diamond blade saw, starting at the center of the structure and moving outward, according to Metro.
Saturday, July 16 at midday to Sunday, July 17 at midday: Workers will take apart the bridge, separating concrete from steel bars with heavy equipment called "hoe rams." The machines have 80-foot arms and will be stationed underneath the bridge, reports the Daily News.
Monday, July 18 at 2 a.m.: The final cleanup should start, with crews hauling away the dirt, sweeping up the remaining debris, and inspecting the remaining portion of the bridge. Inspectors from Caltrans and the LA Department of Transportation, as well as structural engineers, will examine the bridge and freeway.
Monday, July 18 at 6 a.m.: Monday traffic will be allowed back on the freeway if everything goes as planned.
Kiewit Pacific, the construction company contracted to complete the demolition, has an incentive to work fast. They will be charged approximately $6,000 for every ten minutes that the project runs behind the scheduled reopening, reports Patch.
Photos provided courtesy of Getty Images/Kevork Djansezian.
