After Accident, Toledo’s Cable-Cradled Bridge Gains Speed
Toledo’s Maumee River bridge, known officially as the Veterans Glass City Skyway, will be the second ever to utilize the cable cradle system designed by W. Denney Pate, principal bridge engineer with Figg Engineering Group, Tallahassee. After a fatal truss collapse halted work for 18 months, crews are now regaining momentum (ENR 3/1/04 p. 12).
Crews have completed six of 128 cantilevered segments for the 1,225-ft main span. They average 9.5 ft long, 58 ft wide and 12 ft deep, says Mike Gramza, Ohio Dept. of Transportation project manager. Ballwin, Mo.-based Fru-Con. Construction Corp. modified a 1.6-million-lb launching truss—originally the twin to the ill-fated one— in part by removing the underbridge portion. It is now completing approach spans. Fru-Con is also utilizing overhead launchers, an underslung launcher and a falsework system. A majority of 182 approach or ramp spans are complete, as are 10 backspans, says Gramza.