Advertisement Crews attempt to demolish Big Sur bridge with wrecking ball Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A giant crane airlifted into the rugged wilderness of Big Sur began pounding a wrecking ball onto a condemned Highway 1 bridge Monday. RAW VIDEO: Wrecking ball vs. Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge CalTrans crews are attempting to destroy Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge. More than 400 residents have been stranded with no way in or out of Big Sur for weeks. The failing bridge cut-off Highway 1 to the north, while a landslide named "Paul's Slide" continues to cut-off Highway 1 to the south. A crane began pounding a wrecking ball down onto the center of the bridge at 1 p.m. Monday. But the buckling bridge proved to be stronger than the ball, and crews suspended their efforts for the day around 2:45 p.m. with the bridge still standing. Instead of just blowing the bridge up, engineers are taking a "slow and methodical" approach, CalTrans spokesman Jim Shivers said. Their goal is for the bridge to collapse as three chunks into the forested canyon below. Debris will be gathered into trucks and hauled out of the area. Demolition attempts will resume Tuesday. CalTrans said it is going to re-position the 680-foot-tall crane so its 6,000-pound ball packs a bigger punch. Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge was built in the 1960s. It was not constructed strong enough to survive landslides because its two support columns were inserted straight into the ground, without a foundation. Winter storms in January and February triggered countless mudslides along Big Sur's coast as soil was soaked by dozens of inches of rain. Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge began dramatically buckling, shifting, and cracking in February because of a landslide underneath it. Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge is located at Post Mile Marker 45.5, south of Big Sur Station and the post office, and north of Nepenthe and Ventana Inn. Last week, reports of people trespassing by walking over the dangerously-unstable bridge surfaced as people became more desperate and frustrated. CalTrans said its geotechnical and bridge experts are hustling to replace the bridge with a new one was fast as possible. It will take at least nine months to build, CalTrans said. In the meantime, a switchback-style hiking trail is being carved down and up the steep canyon to allow locals to cross the canyon on foot. The California Conservation Corps, Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade, state park rangers, and volunteers are creating the hiking trail. "There is no trail at this time, so we’re starting a new trail," said John De Luca of California State Parks. Highway 1 remains closed between Ragged Point (Post Mile Marker 72.87) to just south of Palo Colorado (Post Mile Marker 61.5). Highway 1 is scheduled to reopen to locals and the public on Thursday, from just north of Big Sur Station (Post Mile Marker 46.35) to Carmel.