The Historic Packard Plant Bridge In Detroit Has Collapsed

Less than a week after featuring prominently on The Grand Tour, the iconic Packard Plant Bridge has collapsed into ruin

The iconic bridge linking the two giant sides of Detroit’s former Packard factory has collapsed.

The Packard Plant Bridge had only appeared – its corroded state heavily disguised by an artistic tarpaulin – on our screens a week ago in the first episode of The Grand Tour series three, but now lies in crumbling pieces on the road below.

The bridge, photographed recently in its nostalgic tarpaulin
The bridge, photographed recently in its nostalgic tarpaulin

Various US outlets initially reported the famous walkway’s collapse. It’s strongly believed that decades of neglect and the resulting decay in fiercely temperamental Michigan weather ultimately caused the structure to give way and collapse onto the street. No one was hurt.

It used to link the north and south buildings of a factory that first opened in 1911, following eight years of construction. Hailed as a marvel of modern technology and engineering at the time, it was one of the then wildly prosperous Detroit’s shining beacons… for a while. After the bridge was built in 1939 to move cars more easily from one side of the road to the other, Packard collapsed in 1958.

The Packard Plant Bridge as seen on Amazon Prime's The Grand Tour
The Packard Plant Bridge as seen on Amazon Prime's The Grand Tour

The bridge over East Grand Boulevard has joined it some 61 years later. Current owner Arte Express, which bought the facility at auction in 2013, had this to say via spokesman Joe Kopietz:

“Our contractors on site noted some bricks falling from that bridge earlier today. We were informed at about one this afternoon, and I directed the contractor to make efforts to block off traffic.

“Then, at about 3 this afternoon, the collapse occurred. The best we can determine is that it was a preexisting structural issue, due to temperature fluctuations that caused the collapse.”

Plans are currently in place to turn the site into a ‘mixed-use’ development. Clarkson will be hoping that doesn’t involve vegetables.

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Comments

DL🏁

Surely the vibrations from those V8s helped to speed up the process

01/25/2019 - 10:01 |
101 | 0

The Exorcist may not have killed the Demon, but it definitely killed a bridge

01/25/2019 - 10:21 |
63 | 0
ATOGI_28

RIP Detroit ;-;

01/25/2019 - 10:30 |
4 | 0
Anonymous

Matt the General community is attacked by spambots again.

01/25/2019 - 10:40 |
5 | 1
ATOGI_28

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

oof
how did they get in if you cant make accounts anymore!?
Matt Robinson Matt Kimberley

01/25/2019 - 10:57 |
4 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

The off topic too

01/25/2019 - 13:25 |
0 | 0
Wogmidget

Coincidence? I think not . . .

01/25/2019 - 11:10 |
0 | 3
Anonymous

At least it managed to hold out during the filming process for the GT Ep 1.

01/25/2019 - 11:14 |
3 | 0
Anonymous

when the bridge saw the demon it had nightmares the nights after and eventually it got so scared that it just died and collapsed

01/25/2019 - 11:20 |
0 | 0
Miata Man (Miata Squad)

I wish they would take better care of thies old building. What a shame.

01/25/2019 - 14:57 |
2 | 0
Kenji (Oldsmobile Fan) (GoldWing Enthusiast) (wheel nut)

How about we rebuild the building and bring jobs back to Detroit? It may be cheaper to build overseas but we need to embrace Detroit’s heritage, it’s sad seeing all the old automotive factories abandoned and falling apart

01/25/2019 - 19:09 |
1 | 0
Inside The Garage

Being born and raised in Detroit, it is sad to see this magnificent bridge in ruins.

01/25/2019 - 23:37 |
1 | 0