Picture courtesy of MaineDOT
All over Would possibly 2024, crews labored at the Augusta Western Street bridge undertaking with structural rock excavation
and clearing ledge at abutment 2 footing.
When a bridge is going from tight to proper, other folks understand. Particularly when that bridge is within the state capital. The Maine Division of Transportation (MDOT) determined to start this variation of the Western Street bridge situated on U.S. Course 202 (Western Ave.) over Interstate 95 in Augusta.
The previous bridge, just about 70 years previous, used to be structurally poor and have been struck repeatedly from the site visitors touring beneath. The bridge didn’t have ADA sidewalks or right kind shoulders. In a phrase, it used to be tight. The brand new bridge shall be proper.
Picture courtesy of MaineDOT
The undertaking will come with some 1,350 toes. of sidewalk, which can attach pedestrian get admission to on either side of the roadway. Along with the sidewalk, the brand new bridge could have roughly 4 toes. of shoulder in every path.
The brand new bridge shall be a two span, metal girder and urban deck development supervised by way of native contractor Reed & Reed. The brand new bridge shall be roughly 2 toes. upper than the previous one and must scale back the selection of moves produced from outsized cars touring beneath. No longer most effective will new greenspace be added within the development, however a 2.5-megawatt sun farm used to be added adjoining to the bridge in 2023. The price of the undertaking shall be roughly $30 million.
Employees are development a three-lane detour at the north aspect of the bridge. The left flip from Western Street to Whitten Street on the finish of the bridge is being got rid of all the way through development and a brief connector roadway to Whitten Street from the I-95 southbound on-ramp shall be put in to supply get admission to. Companies, inns and the traditional trail for legislators will be capable of proceed.
Bridge development planners in Maine will have to take into accounts the heavy climate in iciness plus salts and combinations used to de-ice the roads.
“Usual follow on our upper precedence roads is to make use of a corrosive resistant reinforcing within the construction to increase its lifespan,” mentioned Devan Eaton, one of the vital undertaking managers of MDOT’s bridge program. “We used low carbon chromium within the concrete and metalized [thermal spray coating] the metal beams. We extensively utilized components within the concrete to extend the resistance of the concrete to the salts and de-icing combinations.”
The low-carbon chromium conforms to ASTM A1035-CS alloy, he added.
For a number of causes, together with the tight areas and pace of development, the contractor determined to construct the bridge in sections off web page. Those sections referred to as prefabricated bridge devices (PBUs), consist of 2 metal beams with a precast concrete bridge deck. Those PBUs are put in one after the other the usage of a Manitowoc crane with a 275-ton carry capability to position the bridge in combination one piece at a time.
“We’re development the PBUs in our backyard in Woolwich,” mentioned Dom Cyr, Reed & Reed’s undertaking supervisor. “The bridge shall be 18 devices in all with closure strips in between the precast devices to suit the whole lot seamlessly into position.
The previous bridge shall be demolished as soon as the brand new precast bridge is able for the large carry.
The development of the bridge and roadwork would require really extensive amounts of subject matter, together with:
- Structural metal: 473,500 lbs.
- Metal reinforcement: 137,000 lbs.
- Asphalt: 5,180 lots
- Concrete: 2,114 cu. yds.
The development crew will use dozers, paving machines and rollers at the undertaking. The crew extensively utilized excavators to transport roughly 14,500 cu. yds. of earth and rock for the bridge substitute paintings. Reed & Reed is the usage of small cranes in its backyard to lend a hand compile the precast bridge devices.
Contractors Gendron & Gendron shall be appearing the entire earthwork at the undertaking. Normally in development, employees pressure piles into the bottom for toughen. On this case, bedrock is rather as regards to the skin, enabling employees to continue with out piles. The concrete abutments shall be as tall as 24 toes. in some places, in line with the slope of the street beneath.
The brand new bridge shall be at the direction that many state legislators take to get to the capital. The bridge is as regards to a hectic intersection as smartly.
“This can be a high-priority undertaking,” mentioned Eaton. “We wish to do a high quality task and simplicity the congestion and make stronger the intersection whilst bettering protection for Maine citizens and guests.” CEG
Chuck MacDonald
Chuck MacDonald is an editor, blogger and freelance characteristic author whose writing adventures have taken him to 48 states and 10 international locations. He has been the editor for magazines on pavement development, chemical substances, insurance coverage and missions. Chuck enjoys bicycling, kayaking and studying. He graduated from the College of Missouri with a point in journalism. Chuck lives in Annapolis, Md. along with his spouse Kristen. They have got seven grandchildren.
