Blue Earth County bridge demolished after damage from flooding of nearby Rapidan Dam
The first explosives charge at the bridge rang out like a starting gun, followed by the ratatat drumbeat of smaller explosions. The smoke cleared, revealing the concrete and steel beams of County Road 9 Bridge now resting in the river valley below.
WATCH: Co. Road 9 bridge by Rapidan Dam demolished
Blue Earth County officials shared footage of the County Road 9 bridge demolition on Wednesday. The bridge was set to be replaced after the nearby Rapidam Dam was breached in June 2024. The rushing water destroyed an Xcel Energy substation and caused a home along the bank to fall into the river.
Explosives team takes down deck beams on bridge next to Rapidan Dam
A thunderous boom and a large billow of dark-gray smoke rising in the air marked the quick demise of steel beams that had held up the Blue Earth
Crews use explosives to bring down bridge by failed Rapidan Dam
Heavy rain back in June 2024 caused severe flooding that breached the Rapidan Dam on the western side. Erosion around the supports of the bridge led county officials to decide to remove and replace the bridge due to safety concerns. Blue Earth County recently hired Barr Engineering to plan the removal of the Rapidan Dam.
Crews use explosives to bring down damaged bridge
A subcontractor of the company hired to remove the County Road 9 bridge over the Blue Earth River used explosive charges to sever and fall the bridge. The roadway surface and the majority of the bridge structure were removed over the last several weeks. All that remained were the bridge’s steel support beams.
Flood-damaged Rapidan Dam expected to be razed in 2027-28
A Twin Cities engineering firm hired to design the demise of the Rapidan Dam expects it to disappear by the end of 2028 — 118 years after the structure was completed southwest of Mankato, Minn.
Blue Earth County up against the clock — and the unknown — in flood repair projects
Faced with the task of replacing a flood-damaged bridge, and removing a breached dam, county officials face the prospect of more spring floods and an uncertain timeline.
Crews use explosives to bring down Co. Road 9 bridge
MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - A subcontractor of the company hired to remove the County Road 9 bridge over the Blue Earth River is using explosive charges to sever and fall the bridge.
Mankato's Rapidan Dam removal set, Blue Earth County hires contractor
The Bloomington-based engineering firm on Tuesday received a $1.47 million contract to draft plans for the removal of the dam, which spans the Blue Earth River west of Mankato. Th
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Work progressing on removal of bridge near Rapidan Dam
A contractor is moving along with tearing the deck off the Blue Earth County 9 bridge, just upriver of the Rapidan Dam. “The planning for the demolition took a little longer so they were a ...
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Bridge near Rapidan Dam coming down months after major floods
The bridge in Mankato that spans the Blue Earth River near the Rapidan Dam is starting ... out what to do with the dam, but say that project will take years. County engineers say they need ...