Page 8 - May June 2016 Vol 34 No1
P. 8
NASHVILLE By Ted Kniazewycx, P.E.
AFBaeshitndF-thiex-S8cenPesrLooojek act tTDOT’s
It’s no secret that much of our country’s the bridges were fully rehabilitated in a few bridge sites, in addition to the methods
infrastructure is aging; in fact, it’s difficult months rather than years – a tremendous identified in the preliminary engineering
to drive far without running into a con- achievement in the world of transportation work, other options were presented that
struction project of some sort within our construction. included:
daily commute. Our roadways and bridges, • Full superstructure replacement with
many of which were built during the Looking at the project in a little more
early- to mid-twentieth century, are being detail paints a picture of the complexity pre-stressed concrete box beams and
repaired, widened or replaced. And though and coordination that was involved in full-depth deck panels
the end goal is worthwhile, it’s tough to successful execution. The four pairs of • Precast superstructure units with steel
ignore the congestion that goes hand-in- bridges in need of rehabilitation were the beams and full depth precast concrete
hand with these types of projects. Herman Street/NW railroad overpass, the slab
Clinton Street/CSXT railroad overpass, • Full span replacement with lateral slide
Most transportation construction proj- the Jo Johnston overpass and the Charlotte or SPMT units
ects reduce mobility and increase traffic Avenue overpass. The project also included • Elimination of spans or entire structures
congestion in the vicinity as a result of lane milling and resurfacing the interstate • Combination of options
reductions and detours. The traditional roadway along with incidental grading, A criteria matrix established a ranking
approach to construction can be frustrating drainage, lighting and signage. to determine which options should be
for drivers, and often creates less-than- carried forward for further consideration.
ideal working conditions for the people de- Each of the four bridge crossing loca- The criteria included duration of closures,
livering the project as well. The presence of tions provides access to major downtown life-cycle analysis of each option, rough
construction workers operating right next facilities and attractions – Bridgestone order of magnitude costs, constructability,
to moving traffic is a major safety concern, Arena, Saint Thomas Hospital, Vander- risk, plus several others. The matrix evalua-
and construction within such a confined bilt University, the Gulch neighborhood, tion process was a valuable tool in ranking
space tends to take much longer and can be and the list goes on – and support a huge the numerous site-specific options and
of lower quality. But in the last few years, a volume of traffic every day (more than identifying which should move forward
solid alternative to the traditional bridge- 140,000 cars per day). The area also for further consideration. One major item,
construction approach has emerged: accel- currently houses more than 20 major material procurement, played an important
erated bridge construction, or ABC. The under-construction high-rise projects role in the ultimate selection of final op-
Federal Highway Administration explains including residential and office space. It tions for each of the bridge sites.
ABC in pretty basic terms: “ABC is bridge is probably obvious that in such a popu- With the evaluation factors weighed for
construction that uses innovative planning, lous area, TDOT wanted to avoid years of each location, the selected option turned
design, materials, and construction meth- ongoing construction and the associated out to be unique for each bridge site. For
ods in a safe and cost-effective manner to closures, detours and congestion. the Herman/NERR structure, it was decid-
reduce the on-site construction time that ed to use superstructure units comprised of
occurs when building new bridges or re- Before transitioning the project to the welded plate girders and cast-in-place deck
placing and rehabilitating existing bridges.” CM/GC delivery method, Gresham, Smith constructed in two beam units. This option
and Partners had collaborated with TDOT was selected based on ROW restrictions
The Gresham, Smith and Partners team to complete preliminary design and draw- and the overall condition of the existing
that provided the comprehensive design of ings that identified possible methods for substructure units. The ultimate configura-
the Tennessee Department of Transporta- completing the bridge rehabilitation on
tion’s Fast Fix 8 project, was excited to use a compressed project schedule. For the
the accelerated bridge construction method
to get the job done with much less impact
to commuters in the Nashville area. Fast
Fix 8 was a $62 million bridge rehabilita-
tion project to replace four pairs of bridges
along I-40 in downtown Nashville. As
with most ABC-type projects, Fast Fix 8
required short-term, total road closures to
allow construction crews the space and ac-
cess they needed and the freedom to work
around the clock. The project included 10
weekend road closures in total, with the
first beginning in July 2015 and the last
happening in October 2015. That means
8 TPW May/June 2016
AFBaeshitndF-thiex-S8cenPesrLooojek act tTDOT’s
It’s no secret that much of our country’s the bridges were fully rehabilitated in a few bridge sites, in addition to the methods
infrastructure is aging; in fact, it’s difficult months rather than years – a tremendous identified in the preliminary engineering
to drive far without running into a con- achievement in the world of transportation work, other options were presented that
struction project of some sort within our construction. included:
daily commute. Our roadways and bridges, • Full superstructure replacement with
many of which were built during the Looking at the project in a little more
early- to mid-twentieth century, are being detail paints a picture of the complexity pre-stressed concrete box beams and
repaired, widened or replaced. And though and coordination that was involved in full-depth deck panels
the end goal is worthwhile, it’s tough to successful execution. The four pairs of • Precast superstructure units with steel
ignore the congestion that goes hand-in- bridges in need of rehabilitation were the beams and full depth precast concrete
hand with these types of projects. Herman Street/NW railroad overpass, the slab
Clinton Street/CSXT railroad overpass, • Full span replacement with lateral slide
Most transportation construction proj- the Jo Johnston overpass and the Charlotte or SPMT units
ects reduce mobility and increase traffic Avenue overpass. The project also included • Elimination of spans or entire structures
congestion in the vicinity as a result of lane milling and resurfacing the interstate • Combination of options
reductions and detours. The traditional roadway along with incidental grading, A criteria matrix established a ranking
approach to construction can be frustrating drainage, lighting and signage. to determine which options should be
for drivers, and often creates less-than- carried forward for further consideration.
ideal working conditions for the people de- Each of the four bridge crossing loca- The criteria included duration of closures,
livering the project as well. The presence of tions provides access to major downtown life-cycle analysis of each option, rough
construction workers operating right next facilities and attractions – Bridgestone order of magnitude costs, constructability,
to moving traffic is a major safety concern, Arena, Saint Thomas Hospital, Vander- risk, plus several others. The matrix evalua-
and construction within such a confined bilt University, the Gulch neighborhood, tion process was a valuable tool in ranking
space tends to take much longer and can be and the list goes on – and support a huge the numerous site-specific options and
of lower quality. But in the last few years, a volume of traffic every day (more than identifying which should move forward
solid alternative to the traditional bridge- 140,000 cars per day). The area also for further consideration. One major item,
construction approach has emerged: accel- currently houses more than 20 major material procurement, played an important
erated bridge construction, or ABC. The under-construction high-rise projects role in the ultimate selection of final op-
Federal Highway Administration explains including residential and office space. It tions for each of the bridge sites.
ABC in pretty basic terms: “ABC is bridge is probably obvious that in such a popu- With the evaluation factors weighed for
construction that uses innovative planning, lous area, TDOT wanted to avoid years of each location, the selected option turned
design, materials, and construction meth- ongoing construction and the associated out to be unique for each bridge site. For
ods in a safe and cost-effective manner to closures, detours and congestion. the Herman/NERR structure, it was decid-
reduce the on-site construction time that ed to use superstructure units comprised of
occurs when building new bridges or re- Before transitioning the project to the welded plate girders and cast-in-place deck
placing and rehabilitating existing bridges.” CM/GC delivery method, Gresham, Smith constructed in two beam units. This option
and Partners had collaborated with TDOT was selected based on ROW restrictions
The Gresham, Smith and Partners team to complete preliminary design and draw- and the overall condition of the existing
that provided the comprehensive design of ings that identified possible methods for substructure units. The ultimate configura-
the Tennessee Department of Transporta- completing the bridge rehabilitation on
tion’s Fast Fix 8 project, was excited to use a compressed project schedule. For the
the accelerated bridge construction method
to get the job done with much less impact
to commuters in the Nashville area. Fast
Fix 8 was a $62 million bridge rehabilita-
tion project to replace four pairs of bridges
along I-40 in downtown Nashville. As
with most ABC-type projects, Fast Fix 8
required short-term, total road closures to
allow construction crews the space and ac-
cess they needed and the freedom to work
around the clock. The project included 10
weekend road closures in total, with the
first beginning in July 2015 and the last
happening in October 2015. That means
8 TPW May/June 2016
