Overview of roadway removal and blast preparations
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/oct_22_6765_pearman_overview.jpg)
At the same time, Testa is hammering away at the Pearman roadway (look
at the top photo for orientation). Two surgical tools are used - a
hammer and a shear. In this case, the shear serves two purposes: to
cut through the rebar and then to flip the concrete segment
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/oct_22_6786_hammer_shear.jpg)
Here is the hammer at work
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/oct_22_6780_hammer.jpg)
Then the shear is used to reach over the edge of the roadway segment
and flip it backward
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/oct_22_6790_shear_grab.jpg)
First raising it a bit
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/oct_22_6796_pickup.jpg)
and now the roadway segment is almost vertical
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/oct_22_6808_flip.jpg)
and then easing it back down on the flip side
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/oct_22_6811_flip.jpg)
and finished
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/oct_22_6812_flip.jpg)
Like two cats passing in the day, its time to switch tools -
and back to the hammer and so the
process repeats itself: Breaking a line in the road, then cutting
the rebar, flipping it and removing the segment.
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/oct_22_6817_switch.jpg)
Each time I return from the Mt Pleasant side, I always like to check
the Colemen Recycling Center. Note the height of the pile of rebar.
Nice work.
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/oct_22_6819_coleman_recycle.jpg)