Watch Drone Footage of the Kosciuszko Bridge Demolition

The Kosciuszko Bridge - a steel gateway connecting Queens and Brooklyn for 78 years - was finally demolished by explosives on Sunday morning. Many New Yorkers are content with this change, regardless of the bridge’s long history, as a modern replacement appeals to those of us with frustrating memories of Kosciuszko traffic. Besides the appeal of a new bridge, though, there’s some really great aerial footage of the demolition, captured by drone. 

According to the New York Times, the blast came seconds after the man in charge instructed his crew from a boat on the river. “Warm up your blasting machines,” and then, “Fire.” Seconds later, 22 million pounds of steel fell to the ground. Reportedly, Governor Cuomo (D) looked to other fellow officials nearby and asked, “Wasn’t that cool?” 

Cuomo himself reminisced on his childhood memories in relation to the bridge, in a speech before the demolition occurred. He admitted that “it was impossible to get to the Kosciuszko before there was traffic,” as though the commonly shared discomfort was just another source of unity for us New Yorkers. A retired teacher from Long Island who crossed the Kosciuszko daily for 23 years, Ms. Mulry agreed. “It’s universal. Everybody has the experience of getting stuck there. And now it’s gone.”

It’s definitely gone now, with new construction in process and well under way. In any case, at least we have this amazing aerial footage of the demolition - courtesy of Governor Cuomo's official YouTube page - captured by a trusty UAV overlooking the event. Enjoy!