Old bridge spanning western New York gorge imploded
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A bridge spanning a gorge in western New York has been brought down in a controlled explosion.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo was among officials to press the plunger as the old Route 219 bridge over the Cattaraugus Creek was imploded Thursday morning.
In a matter of seconds, an estimated 25 million pounds of steel plummeted about 200 feet into the Zoar Valley Gorge. Crews are expected to begin cleanup right away.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The state Department of Transportation says the span, built in the late 1950s, will be replaced by a new bridge costing nearly $17 million. The bridge connects Erie and Cattaraugus counties 30 miles south of Buffalo.