AASHTO Journal, 11 December 2015
Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer joined state and local officials in Nashville Dec. 4 to celebrate the end – seven months ahead of schedule – of a major project to replace eight downtown bridges along Interstate 40.
The project included the removal and replacement of four twin bridges along I-40. Built in 1968, TDOT said the eastbound and westbound bridges “showed advanced signs of deterioration and required near-constant maintenance prior to the Fast Fix 8 project.”
Launched last April with completion originally expected in June 2016, the $62 million “Fast Fix 8” project by contractor Kiewit Infrastructure used accelerated bridge construction methods to replace the structures over 10 weekend road closures and detours.
During those closures, all traffic was detoured beginning on Friday nights to allow work crews, equipment and materials to access the bridge sites over the entire weekend. The work involved demolishing and removing the old bridge superstructure, bringing in prefabricated bridge sections, quickly curing concrete poured onsite and painting the new road surface.
Work continued around the clock in order to have the roadway ready by the Monday morning rush hour. The original plan allowed for 13 weekend closures on I-40, with the work spaced around times when there would be heavier than normal traffic volume.
“Traditional bridge replacement methods would have required lane closures on this stretch of I-40 for as many as three years,” said Schroer. “This innovative approach saved drivers countless hours of delays, and minimized the impacts on area businesses and residents. The success of the Fast Fix 8 project shows how accelerated construction can work, particularly in our urban areas.”
Here is a TDOT video about the project:
