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PBES Innovative Projects
Mississippi River Bridge |
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| Location | US 14/61/WIS 16 over the Mississippi River |
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| State | WI |
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| Completion Date | 2003 |
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| Contact Person | Stephen Flottmeyer, P.E.,
Wisconsin Department of Transportation,
(608) 785-9075 |
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| Description | This bridge is 2,573 ft long and 50 ft. wide with 475-ft steel arch center span with a totally prefabricated superstructure system. To provide safer and more efficient access to downtown La Crosse and into Minnesota, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) decided to build a new bridge across the Mississippi River, changing US 14/61/WIS 16 from a two-lane to a four-lane facility. WisDOT opted to use a central prefabricated tied arch section and float it into place before connecting it to the permanent bridge piers. The arch was installed on December 17th, 2003. The bridge elements were fabricated 90 miles from the site in pieces manageable for shipping and erection. They were then assembled entirely off site on barges. The 475-ft long and 87-ft high center-span steel arch superstructure was finally floated into place. The prefabrication allowed WisDOT to keep the main channel of the Mississippi River open to all river traffic during construction per Coast Guard requirements. It also allowed the contractor to work on both the river piers and the arch simultaneously, speeding the construction schedule. Contract specification did not allow temporary falsework structures in the Mississippi River during navigation season. Erecting the tied arch on barges allowed Lunda Construction Company crews to work during favorable weather without interference with river navigation. Use of prefabrication minimized impact on the community, speeding construction of the bridge and limiting disruption of river traffic. |
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| Prefabricated Elements | Total prefab bridges |
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| Other Keywords | totally prefabricated bridges |
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| Advantages | Minimized traffic disruption, constructibility |
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| Photo Credits | Wisconsin Department of Transportation |
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Events
More Information
Contact
Reggie Holt
Office of Bridge Technology
202-366-4596
E-mail Reggie
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This page last modified on 05/12/08 | |
