Working within a four-week timeframe, crews on the $54-million I-240 MemFix 4 project needed to replace or repair four deficient structures over Interstate 240 in Memphis without shutting down the highway. With an average of roughly 180,000 vehicles traveling through the area each day, the Tennessee Dept. of Transportation wanted the critical project completed with minimal impact to travelers. Replacement of a Norfolk Southern Railroad bridge required continuous operation of two tracks, allowing only two 12-hour interruptions to a single track at a time. To replace this bridge, a temporary shoofly structure was constructed adjacent to the existing bridge. After demolishing the existing bridge, crews installed two 2.2-million-lb superstructure sections. The roadway bridges were located near the New Madrid Fault Line, requiring the team to address high seismic conditions through the use of modeling and structural evaluation. Several custom elements were developed to facilitate efficient installation, including custom steel bearings and framing, retrofit designs, more than 26,000 linear ft of micropiles, new substructures and modular bridge superstructures.

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