Workers replaced the 80-year-old swing bridge with a single-leaf bascule bridge, breaking the job into two phases. During the summer months, the bridge remained open to traffic, complicating the work. The strategy was to do the bulk of the work during consecutive winters.

The project’s first phase involved the installation and removal of several cofferdams of varying sizes and construction of retaining walls to serve as the abutments for the temporary bridge. The second phase involved the installation of a temporary bridge, demolition of the existing bridge, installation of new bridge abutments, bridge substructure, bridge machinery and bridge control house.

Despite a congested worksite, there were more than 700 days without a recordable incident.

Teamwork, coordination and communication were key to a safe site, the team says. Supervisors met twice daily to ensure synchronization, and foremen reviewed the schedule and work progression with all team members prior to each shift. Extra inspections were performed on all fall-protection gear beyond the typical measures, leading to the replacement of some equipment.

The project team says the effort resulted in an aesthetically pleasing, easy to maintain and reliable bridge with a 70-year lifespan.

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