Hudson Valley Bridge Pushed Into River in One Piece

Have you ever wondered how they get rid of an old bridge to replace it with a new one?

On Tuesday, October 11 the new Carmine Liberta Memorial Bridge was officially opened up to traffic on Route 299 in New Paltz. The bridge replaces an older span that was torn down in August. Since then a temporary bridge has been in place over the Wallkill River.

With the new bridge open, commuters and visitors will have an easier time traveling in and out of the Village of New Paltz.

Now, if you've ever wondered what it takes to knock down an old bridge you'll want to check this video out. A YouTube user caught the old Liberta Memorial Bridge getting torn down over the summer.

You can see a giant metal claw grab on of the steel girders on the Village of New Paltz side of the Wallkill River. As the machine twists and turns the metal the bridge begins to sway back and forth. Finally, one last twist sends the enormous bridge tumbling down into the Wallkill River.

If it's that easy to take down a bridge it's probably a good thing that it's been replaced.