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9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160 PMB516 • Austin, TX 78748
Phone: 512.523.8214
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The new U.S. 281 Bridge over the Colorado River replaces a functionally obsolete steel truss bridge with a 958’ long segmental bridge. The bridge design by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) along with design innovations from the Contractor-Engineer team created a highly aesthetic bridge with a minimal footprint in the water. The bridge was completed on October 9, 2014.
U.S. 281 is a major north-south highway from Wichita Falls to San Antonio and serves as an important evacuation route and emergency services access for the area. Factors leading to selecting a cast-in-place segmental design include:
There are 24 concrete segments per cantilever, with 48 segments total per bridge. Each segment measures 14’ to 16’ long and 47’ wide. The variable segments sport a unique tapered boat hull design in the bottom slab, an aesthetic treatment that matches the community’s focus on recreational boat racing. The segments have a box depth that ranges from 23’ at the interior piers to 9’5” at the end spans, with a variable superelevation up to 5.5%. Each segment weighs a maximum of 150 tons.
Innovation of Design and/or Construction
Rapid Construction
Aesthetics/Harmony with Environment
Cost Competitiveness
The Contractor secured two form travelers that met the specifications for this project which resulted in cost savings of $750,000 and several month’s reduction to the schedule for design and fabrication of new travelers. These and other design modifications met all the goals of the project providing approximately $2 million savings, 5% below the TxDOT estimate.
Minimization of Construction Impact
Since the closest river crossing was over 30 miles away, this bridge crossing had to remain open continuously, requiring phased construction.
Reused form travelers from another project resulted in cost and time savings. Highly aesthetic shape in an area with heavy recreational boat traffic. Innovative precast footing box allowed footings to be placed below the waterline without cofferdams. The perfect fit to meet this project’s diverse demands of the traveling public, local environment, and surrounding community. The boat-shaped hull bottom slab, tapered piers, absence of visible foundations, and lighting have combined to produce a beautiful bridge day or night.
State:
Texas
Designer:
Finely Engineering Group, Inc. (Alternative Superstructure Design and Construction Engineering)
Owner:
Texas Department of Transportation Bridge Division
Contractor:
Archer Western Contractors
Contractor Engineering Services:
Janssen & Spaans Engineering, Inc.
Constructability/Engineering Services:
Archer Western Contractors
Construction Engineering Inspection:
Texas Dept. of Transportation
Form Travelers for Cast-in-Place Segments:
VStructural, LLC (VSL)
Formwork for Precast Segments:
Doka USA, Ltd.
Post-Tensioning Materials:
VStructural, LLC (VSL)
Bearings
Dynamic Rubber
Expansion Joints
CMC Capital City Steel
Prepackaged Grout
Masterflow 1205
Roadway and Hydraulic Design
Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc.
Prepackaged Grout:
Masterflow 1205
Awards:
2015 ASBI Award of Excellence.
Related “Segments” Project Articles:
Article (01-01-2004)
Bridge Resources
US 281 Colorado River Bridge, Marble Falls, Texas