AASHTO Journal, 20 December 2013
Roads and Bridges Magazine last month released its annual list of the top 10 bridges in the U.S., naming five state transportation department bridges among the best in the country.
Virginia Department of Transportation’s $105 million “Route 460 Connector Phase 1 Design-Build, Grassy Creek Bridge” project, located in Breaks, Va., was identified as the number one bridge in the country this year. While the bridge is currently just 55 percent completed (the official completion date is scheduled for June 2015), Roads and Bridges identified this bridge for its list for its “mix-in-place construction,” its ability to overcome complex terrain through diverse foundations, and strong teamwork and communication between all parties (including VDOT’s contractors Bizzack Construction LLC, CJ Mahan Construction Co., and RS&H CS and designers Stantec and Jansen Spaans Engineering Inc.). The bridge, according to VDOT officials, is imperative for the state’s economy.
New York State Department of Transportation earned #3 on the list for its $407 million Alexander Hamilton Bridge Rehabilitation, located in Manhattan and the Bronx. After discovering the floor beams had deteriorated substantially, NYSDOT worked with designer company Jacobs and contractor CCA Civil/Halmar International LLC to fix the problem. The design phase took longer than expected, pushing the project back 11 months. NYSDOT and its partners made up time in each of the six stages of construction. Entire sections of the bridge were placed at the jobsite all at once, allowing the project to get back onto its original schedule, all while keeping traffic moving during the largest rehabilitation project in NYSDOT history.
Other state DOT bridges included in the top 10 were:
- #8 – Florida Department of Transportation’s U.S. 1 Low-Level Bridge Replacements Design-Build project, costing $11.6 million. FDOT worked with designer BHA Engineers and contractors Johnson Bros. and RS&H to replace four low-level bridges over the Lake Worth Oxbow, which has been designated an Outstanding Florida Water, adding environmental restrictions.
- #9 – Minnesota Department of Transportation’s I-90 bridge over the Mississippi River, an $81.5 million project done in conjunction with designer FIGG and contractor Ames Construction. MnDOT is constructing new twin post-tensioned concrete bridges to replace the aging current bridge that connects Wisconsin and Minnesota.
- #10 – New Hampshire Department of Transportation’s Memorial Bridge Replacement project, an $88 million feat to construct a “gussetless steel-truss bridge” in 18 months. With the help of designer Ted Zoli from HNTB and contractor Walsh Group/Archer Western Contractors, NHDOT will create the new bridge to connect Portsmouth, N.H., and Kittery, Maine.
To see a list and descriptions for all top 10 bridges identified by Roads and Bridges, go here.
