Rehabilitation of Bridge No. 04326, Route 175 Over Amtrak
Newington, Conn.
Award of Merit

Owner: Connecticut Dept. of Transportation
Lead Design Firm/Engineer of Record/Civil Engineer: Alfred Benesch & Co.
General Contractor: O&G Industries Inc.
Consultant Liaison Engineer, Design: CME Associates
Subcontractors: A&J Construction (Milling and Paving); Canam Bridges (Structural Steel Manufacturing); Coastal Materials (Concrete Testing and Inspection)

Among the few accelerated bridge construction projects in Connecticut, the team says this $5-million project was completed under budget and ahead of schedule with minimal traffic disruption.

This project relied on teamwork. After a three-month design and fabrication period, the team says it spent two critical weekends dismantling the existing bridge and installing the seven 105-ft-long precast bridge units (constructed 100 yd from the site) that replaced 19 aging concrete box beams. One half of the bridge was dismantled, and 21 days later, the remaining half was dismantled before the bridge units were dropped into position.

Executing a carefully sequenced and rehearsed plan, some 75 personnel from eight companies worked for 50 continuous hours each weekend, finishing six hours ahead of schedule both times, the team says

To accelerate the project’s speed and lower the cost, the team says it reduced sheet piling, improved the concrete approach slabs, self-fabricated the bridge units and worked around Amtrak schedules.