Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems
I-10 over Lake Pontchartrain | |
|---|---|
| Location | New Orleans |
| State | LA |
| Completion Date | 2002 |
| Contact Person | Lynn Marsalone, P.E., (504) 278-7457 |
| Description | This project replaced a bridge span 65 ft long and 46 ft. wide. As part of a project that included construction of several emergency crossovers between existing twin spans, realignment of 9 existing spans, and approach slab repairs, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LA DOTD) removed and replaced an entire 350-ton span. With its 7.5-inch concrete slab cast on precast prestressed concrete girders, the new span was built on a barge on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain and then moved to the bridge site. The single span removal and replacement cost only about 8% of the total project cost under this contract, which allowed the contractor a period of 24 consecutive hours of roadway closure for span removal and replacement under an incentive/disincentive clause. Work was completed in the summer of 2002. The superstructure span was totally prefabricated, and crews removed the old span and replaced it with the new one on a single Saturday in much less time than the contract allowed. Prefabrication enabled LA DOTD to minimize closure of I-10, the main artery into New Orleans and the Gulf coast with average daily traffic of 48,032 vehicles. Prefabrication enabled Johnson Brothers' Louisiana Team to complete its work on the span in less than 24 hours and earn the maximum $20,000 incentive award. Prefabrication minimized traffic disruption for users of the bridge. The designated alternate detour for westbound traffic to New Orleans was approximately 100 miles. |
| Photo |  |
| Prefabricated Elements | superstructure |
| Other Keywords | total superstructure prefabrication |
| Advantages | Minimized traffic disruption |
| Photo Credits | Federal Highway Administration |
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