Ensuring a successful bridge replacement through extensive engineering analysis and innovation
When two bridges on the heavily-used I-84 were identified as structurally deficient, CTDOT (Connecticut Department of Transportation) knew that a reconstruction project of that magnitude could have major negative effects on the region and the community. To avoid those impacts, the State saw the project as an ideal candidate for Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques and initiated its first large-scale, high-profile application of ABC.
Extensive engineering analysis and innovation were necessary to ensure the project’s success. Our in-depth, up-front preliminary engineering was rewarded as the interstate was shut down for only two days while the contractor removed the existing bridges and rolled in two new, three-lane, 100-foot-long structures that had been built off site. Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) were used for removal and installation of the bridges, which weighed more than two million pounds each.
Assuring enough room to move the huge structures into place, calculating the amount of clearance needed, making sure the prefabricated bridges could withstand being lifted, and planning ahead for any potential issues were just a few of the complex challenges we worked together with CTDOT to address.
And the result? Two bridges replaced in a weekend, 12 hours ahead of schedule.
At a Glance
- Offices
- Awards
- ACE's 2015 Structural Achievement in Civil Engineering
- 2015 Construction Achievement in Civil Engineering
John Eberle, Principal
When I see the positive impact our constructed projects have on communities, I am extremely proud of how much our work matters.
Andrew Lessard, Principal
After all the analyses and studies are done, don’t be afraid to recognize that—often—the simplest solution is the best and most elegant.
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