– It’s this weekend’s big event in Bethlehem – the implosion of the historic Martin Tower.
Eyewitness News was granted exclusive access to the 21-story building
before Sunday’s implosion.
Martin Tower was the world headquarters for the former Bethlehem Steel Corporation and is the tallest building in Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
The explosives and demolition industry have regulations in place at local, state and federal levels to ensure public safety. Crews are scheduled to monitor air quality before, during and after, the implosion. As a precautionary measure, residents are recommended to stay indoors, close all windows, doors and air intakes due to possible dust in the area. Residents are also recommended to turn off all exhaust fans as these might draw dust into your residence.
The following roads surrounding the tower will be closed on Sunday during the implosion:
Road Closure Timeline
• 5:00am Bethlehem Police will close Eighth Avenue from Union Boulevard to Bradford Street.
• 5:00am Bethlehem Police will close Eaton Avenue from Elizabeth Avenue to Ralston Road.
• 5:00am Bethlehem Police will close Route 378 North and South Exit Ramps at Eighth Avenue.
• 6:00am the Exclusion Zone surrounding the site will be closed to the public.
• 6:30am Bethlehem Police will begin closing Route 378 from Catasauqua Road to the Main Street Ramp.
• 7:00am approximately, as safety and preparations permit, Martin Tower will be demolished by implosion.
• 7:10am an assessment will be made by members of the project team to determine clean up activities prior
to opening any roadways. Any unaffected roadways will be reopened after inspection by Bethlehem Police
Department.
• It is estimated that by mid-morning all public rights of way will be open and the exclusion zone lifted.
You won’t be able to watch the implosion from your rooftop or fly your drone near the area from 6 to 8 a.m. But you can watch the implosion safely and from the comfort of your own home, live on CBSPhilly.com. Check back at 7 a.m. Sunday to watch the live stream below: