CONSTRUCTION
KYTC and INDOT are using an innovative construction method called “design-build” to shorten completion time for the bridge replacement project. The project will be awarded to a contractor in the fall of 2010. The winning contractor is expected to submit a project schedule, including the anticipated bridge closure period, and begin work as soon as possible after the contract is awarded.
The design-build team will consist of a qualified engineering firm and contractor. The team will develop a final bridge truss design with a profile similar to the existing bridge. The bridge will stay open when pier modification begins.
The “design-build” method is used to save time by overlapping the design phase and construction phase of a project. While the process moves at a faster pace, it does not compromise quality and safety. Inspectors will monitor every step of construction. For more information on the bid package for the project, visit indot.IN.gov/div/contracts/letting
The current steel truss bridge, built in 1929, is 3,181 feet long; its longest span is 727 feet. It is extremely narrow with two 10-foot lanes and no shoulders or sidewalk.
The new truss bridge, which will look similar to the existing. The road deck will be widened to 40 feet and will include two 12-foot lanes, 8-foot shoulders and a 5-foot side walk cantilevered to the downstream side of the trusses. Construction of new roads approaching the bridge is not part of the current project, but the new bridge design will be compatible with future approach work, which remains an objective of KYTC and INDOT.
