Supporting traffic needs while minimizing impacts to nearby lock operations and the surrounding ecosystem
Built in 1930, the Spottsville Bridge had become structurally deficient and functionally obsolete—it needed to be replaced. The bridge is located downriver from Lock and Dam No. 1, ranked in the top third of the US Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) locks for volume. Our design goal? Minimize impacts to the traveling public, lock operations, and the river.
Major navigable bridge replacements often include three interrelated aspects: agency/environmental coordination, approach tie-in requirements, and span arrangement/type selection. To help avoid cost- and schedule-impacting surprises, we performed a span arrangement study evaluating structural systems, arrangements, and constructability.
The 1,143-foot (348-metre) long bridge features a 560-foot (171-metre) truss span that improves navigation by removing piers from the river. The modified warren truss features a modern design approach that improves efficiency and aesthetics while reducing life-cycle costs by eliminating verticals and sway bracing.
Design services included surveying, bridge and roadway design, utility coordination, public involvement, and Coast Guard and USACE coordination. We are also providing engineering, document management, and field inspection support during the construction of this significant bridge replacement.
Sam King, Senior Structural Engineer
I’m grateful to participate in complex bridge projects from inception through construction—it’s educational to see how they’re built.
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