Bridge and structural

Originally constructed in 1926 and rehabilitated in 1983, the existing Canal Street viaduct is comprised of four complex, multi-block, multi-span, reinforced concrete two-way deck slab bridges.

Given the declining condition of these structures, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) retained us, as part of a team, to inspect and document the bridge condition.

Adjacent to Union Station, the viaduct spans over two Amtrak tracks and to access the underside of the viaduct we coordinated a right-of-entry agreement and flagging with Amtrak.

The Bridge Condition Report (BCR) recommended the replacement of the bridge deck and bents, the rehabilitation of the retaining wall, and the reuse of the below grade foundations.

After receiving approval of the BCR from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), we prepared type, size, and location (TS&L) drawings, preliminary bridge design, a hydraulic report, and asbestos determination certification. Several obvious street-level ingress, egress, public, and emergency access doors of existing Canal Street tenants required access during construction and we developed concept level maintenance of traffic plans to assess conceptual staging/phasing.

Split by the Cuyahoga River, the City of Cleveland is deeply dependent on bridges. Connecting the east and west sides of the city, both high, fixed span and lower-level moveable bridges are critical to the movement of people and freight throughout the region.

To ensure the structural health/integrity of these critical crossings, Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) requires annual routine and biennial fracture critical bridge inspections for all fracture critical (FC) bridges.

As part of a team, we inspected three high-level bridge crossings, including the Main Avenue Bridge (circa 1938), Hope Memorial Bridge (formerly Lorain Carnegie Bridge, circa 1932), and the Veterans Memorial Bridge (formerly Detroit Superior Bridge, circa 1918).

Our bridge inspection experts inspected all fracture critical members within arm’s-length reach using a combination of ladders, self-propelled aerial lifts, and Snoopers™.

We authored the 2020 Main Avenue annual routine inspection report including revising the ODOT Bridge Inspection Report by utilizing the online ODOT AssetWise (AWARI) inventory and appraisal data collection system.

As traffic increased near the O’Hare International Airport, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) saw the need to widen Cumberland Avenue (IL 171) over the Kennedy Expressway (I-90).

In addition, IDOT had plans to widen/expand I-90 in the vicinity of this project. IDOT tasked us with providing Phase II, final engineering/design services for a new, two span bridge that was eight (8) lanes wide, and approximately 270-feet long.

The center support is located adjacent to two CTA track and consists of a 4-foot-wide solid wall pier on 36-inch diameter drilled shafts cored into rock.

Extensive coordination with the CTA was required due to the proximity of pier removal and construction near their active tracks and station.

To improve operations, the roadway was widened outside the bridge reconstruction limits to allow for additional turn lanes at the adjacent intersections.

Additionally, designed a new spur ramp, from the I-90 eastbound exit ramp directly to Bryn Mawr Avenue, to alleviate congestion along Cumberland Avenue.

As a subconsultant to J.B. Fay Company, we were selected to replace the existing Louisville & Indiana Railroad (LIRC) bridge located in Columbus, Indiana at milepost 40.19.

The replacement bridge was constructed under a Design-Build delivery method and involved the accelerated replacement of LIRC’s bridge over the Flatrock River.

This project was funded by and designed to CSX Standards, with us serving as the Engineer of Record.

The existing bridge was 508-feet long and comprised of seven 30-foot steel deck span girders and two 144-foot-long steel through truss spans and was partially submerged during 100-year storm events. The replacement structure is comprised of eight 30-foot concrete approach spans; one 115-foot ballasted deck through plate girder (TPG); five 34-foot approach spans. The substructure consists of concrete caps founded on two drilled shafts.

A single 96-hour continuous outage was planned for the superstructure change out; during which time the existing bridge would be demolished and the TPG bridge was rolled into place.

We worked with a contractor to develop an initial project concept; incorporating innovative planning/design details throughout the final design, enabling J.B Fay to replace the entire structure and raise the track profile 5-feet, in just 48-hours.

The Lake County Department of Transportation (LCDOT) retained us to provide a Phase I engineering and environmental study and Phase II contract plans for the reconstruction and widening of Washington Street. This also included a grade separation of Washington Street under the Canadian National Railway.

This American Public Works Association (APWA) award winning project utilized a 2-foot track raise to reduce the amount and depth of earthwork required, thereby minimizing impacts to the adjacent community while addressing operational concerns of the railroad.

Additionally, extensive construction staging/phasing coordination was required to maintain rail and highway traffic throughout construction, as well as commuter rail service at the nearby Grayslake Metra Station.

Other improvements included design of a new stormwater pump station, sanitary lift station relocation, retaining walls, Metra station platform modifications, conversion of the drainage system from open to closed, traffic signal modifications, a 10-foot wide shared-use path, and a 6-foot sidewalk throughout the project corridor.