St. Anthony Falls (35W) Bridge

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name=St. Anthony Falls Bridge


caption=Opening day, September 18, 2008, from south end.
official_name=St. Anthony Falls (35W) Bridge
crosses=Mississippi River
carries=10 Lanes of I-35W and will be light-rail or bus-way-readycite web| last =Scheck| first =Tom| title =Rebuild may begin in September| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2007-08-07| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/08/07/capitol/| accessdate = 2007-08-08]
locale=Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
design=Post-Tensioned Precast Concrete box girdercite web| last =Hoppin| first =Jason| title =The design for the I-35W replacement bridge is unveiled| publisher =Pioneer Press| date =2007-10-09| url =http://www.twincities.com/ci_7122021?source=rss| accessdate =2007-10-09]
mainspan=convert|504|ft|m|0
length=convert|1216|ft|m|0
width=convert|180|ft|m|0
height=convert|120|ft|m|0)estimated
below=convert|70|ft|m|0
begin=October 30, 2007 [ [http://projects.dot.state.mn.us/35wbridge/index.html MnDot - I-35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge] ]
open=September 18, 2008cite web|url=http://www.dot.state.mn.us/newsrels/08/09/15-I35wbridge.html|title=Engineer: Mn/DOT to open I-35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge to traffic at 5 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 18|publisher=MnDot|date=2008-09-15]
closed=
maint=Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT)
id=NBI 27410 (Northbound), 27409 (Southbound)
coordinates= coord|44|58|44|N|93|14|42|W|region:US_type:landmark
traffic=141,000 (2005 estimates)

The St. Anthony Falls (35W) Bridge [cite web| title =MnDOT Gives Contractors I-35W Bridge Specs| publisher =WCCO.com| date =2007-08-23| url =http://wcco.com/bridgecollapse/local_story_235170509.html| accessdate =2007-08-28] crosses the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the U.S., carrying north-south traffic on Interstate Highway 35W. It was planned by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) with input from Mayor R.T. Rybak and Governor Tim Pawlenty. The planning, design, and construction were completed faster than normal because the highway is a critical artery for commuters and truck freight. The bridge opened September 18, 2008, well ahead of the original goal of December 24.cite news|url=http://wcco.com/bridgecollapse/replacement.bridge.opens.2.820209.html|date=2008-09-18|title=Drivers, Businesses Celebrate 35W Bridge Reopening|publisher=WCCO|accessdate=2008-09-18]

Collapse of the previous bridge

During the evening rush hour at 6:05 pm on August 1, 2007, the main spans of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis collapsed and fell into the river and onto its banks. The collapsed bridge was built in 1967, was expected to carry 66,000 vehicles per day, and was expected to last fifty years. It was originally striped for two lanes in each direction. In 1988, in response to increased traffic demand, the four shoulders were converted to traffic lanes, accommodating four lanes in each direction. By 2004, an estimated 141,000 vehicles crossed the bridge each day. [cite web| last =Stachura| first =Sea| title =Too much stress on I-35W bridge?| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2007-08-06| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/08/06/bridgetroubles/| accessdate =2007-08-07]

Funding

signed the spending bill that includes funding for the bridge on December 26, 2007. [cite web| last =Gardner| first =Amy| title =Bush Signs Domestic Spending Bill but Criticizes Pet Projects| publisher =Washington Post| date =2007-12-27| url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/26/AR2007122601581.html| accessdate = 2007-12-28]

Debate over the design

Minneapolis Mayor R. T. Rybak (DFL) said that future needs and policy considerations shouldn't be ignored in the rush to build a replacement and sought a new bridge able to handle increased traffic as well as mass transit. [cite web| last =Scheck| first =Tom| title =I-35W bridge reconstruction could delay other projects| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2007-08-05| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/08/05/mndot/| accessdate = 2007-08-07] Meetings between state transportation officials, Rybak, state transportation commissioner, Molnau, and Pawlenty yielded a desire to build a 10 lane bridge that will last 100 years, with the possibility of bus rapid transit or light rail lines. Rybak said, "Transit needs to play some role in this or otherwise we would need to build a much wider bridge in the future." At a public forum in Roseville, hundreds of Twin Cities residents participated in a discussion about the bridge design. The overriding theme of the crowd was a desire to plan for the bridge's use of mass transit. [cite web| last =Mador| first =Jessica| title =Residents have plenty to say about bridge replacement| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2007-08-16| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/08/16/open_house/| accessdate =2007-08-24] State transportation commissioner Molnau, in conjunction with Metropolitan Council Chairman Peter Bell, recommended that light rail not be incorporated in the new bridge design. [cite web| last =Lohn| first =Martiga| title =Dive resumes at bridge site after delay for fast-running river| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2007-08-11| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/08/11/funerals/| accessdate =2007-08-12] [cite web|title =Letter from MnDOT Commissioner Carol Molnau and Metropolitan Council Chair Peter Bell to Governor Tim Pawlenty| publisher =MnDOT| date =2007-08-10| url =http://www.dot.state.mn.us/i35wbridge/rebuild/letters/lrt.pdf| accessdate =2007-08-12|format=PDF (letter from Molnau and Bell to Governor Pawlenty recommending LRT not be included).] But Pawlenty, responding to constituents and the mayor, directed Mn/DOT to design the bridge to be light rail-ready. He said the estimated additional $20 to $35 million would be paid for by the state. [cite web| last =Foti| first =Jim| title =State's plans for new I-35W bridge include light rail| work =Star Tribune| publisher =MSNBC| date =2007| url =http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20383709/| accessdate = 2007-08-24]

Award of contract

After the collapse of the bridge's predecessor, Mn/DOT announced to potential contractors that they should express their intention to bid on the project by August 8, 2007. A typical bridge project of this scale in Minnesota would be expected to take three years to complete, but state transportation officials hoped to open this replacement bridge in 15 months. Mn/DOT announced on August 9 that five companies/consortia had been approved to bid on the project and requested that the bids be submitted by September 18, 2007.cite web| title =Contractor drops bid to build replacement I-35 bridge| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2007-08-28| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/08/28/bridgecontractor/| accessdate =2007-08-28] [cite web| last =Scheck| first =Tom| title =MnDOT chooses five finalists for 35W rebuild| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2007-08-09| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/08/09/fivecontractors/| accessdate =2007-08-10] cite web|title = I35W Bridge Replacement - Rebuild Plans| publisher= Mn/DOT| date=2007-08| url=http://www.dot.state.mn.us/i35wbridge/rebuild/pdfs/bridge-replacement-overview.pdf | accessdate=2007-08-27|format=PDF]

Despite criticism and a lawsuit that alleged that theirs was not the best proposal, Flatiron Constructors, Inc. and Manson Construction Company were awarded the contract on September 19, 2007; Flatiron's was the highest-priced and longest schedule of the bids submitted. The lead designer was Figg Engineering. [cite web| title =I-35W Contract Awarded, Conceptual Design Unveiled| publisher =Architectural Record, Mc-Graw Hill Construction| date =2007| url =http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/071009i35.asp| accessdate = 2007-11-12] While the total cost was expected to be between USD $300 million and $350 million for the 1,900-foot (579 m) multi-span bridge, including financial incentives for accelerating the schedule, the winning bid was for USD $234 million. Disincentives for missing the completion date of December 24, 2008 included a $200,000 per day penalty, while incentives to finish early could have been as much as $27 million. [cite web| last =Scheck| first =Tom| title =State offers bonus for quick bridge replacement| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2007-08-24| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/08/24/bridgeincentives/| accessdate =2007-08-24] cite web| last =Martiga Lohn| first =Martiga Lohn| title =Rich contract awarded for I-35W bridge replacement| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2007-09-19| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/09/19/bridgebids/| accessdate =2007-09-19] Other projects by these companies include the Escambia Bay Bridge, [cite web| title =I-10 Bridges, Escambia Bay, FL, USA| publisher =SPG Media Group PLC| date =2007| url =http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/i-10/| accessdate = 2007-08-10] John James Audubon Bridge, [cite web| title =JOHN JAMES AUDUBON BRIDGE| publisher =Buckland and Taylor Ltd.| date =2005| url =http://www.b-t.com/projects/audubon.htm| accessdate =2007-08-10] the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, [cite web| last =Scheck| first =Tom| title =Who is Flatiron Construction?| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2007-09-21| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/09/21/flatiron/| accessdate = 2007-09-21] and the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge Skyway Phase. [cite web| title =San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge, SKYWAY PHASE Bridge Section| publisher =Manson Construction Company| url =http://www.mansonconstruction.com/Manson_const_sanfran.html| accessdate =2007-09-19] Figg Engineering was the lead designer on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. [cite web| title =Sunshine Skyway Bridge (1987)| publisher =Structurae.com, Nicholas Janberg | date =2007| url =http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?id=s0000263| accessdate = 2007-11-12] [cite web| title =Sunshine Skyway Bridge | publisher =Figg Engineering | date =2007| url =http://www.figgbridge.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/IRMAProjectSite.woa/wa/view?site=Figg%20Engineering%20Group&section=Bridge%20Gallery&page=Skyway| accessdate = 2007-11-12]

Construction

MnDOT maintained a [http://projects.dot.state.mn.us/35wbridge/index.html project page] that tracked all activities associated with the construction of the bridge including weekly updates, traffic impacts, construction photos, animations, and virtual walk tours. On December 17, 2007, the first slab of concrete, convert|200|ft long, convert|13.5|ft wide, and convert|4.5|ft thick, was poured off-site, which begun to shape the bridge. Pilings sunk convert|100|ft|1 into the earth support the ends of the bridge. [cite web| last =Foti| first =Jim| title =35W bridge rebuilding gets underway in earnest| publisher =Star Tribune| date =2007-12-18| url =http://www.startribune.com/local/12562506.html| accessdate =2007-12-28]

The bridge construction progressed more quickly than expected. Construction work was performed in shifts with as many as 400 workers during the day, and 200 at night. [ [http://wcco.com/realitycheck/speedy.road.construction.2.735163.html wcco.com — Reality Check: Speedy Road Construction ] ] On April 8, 2008 Mn/DOT announced the half way point of construction had been reached, and predicted that completion might be ahead of schedule by as much as three months. [ [http://kstp.com/article/stories/S405859.shtml?cat=1 KSTP.com - Bridge milestone, halfway done ] ]

This prediction was borne out by events, as the Minnesota Department of Transportaion opened the bridge to traffic at 5:00 in the morning on September 18, 2008. Minnesota State Patrol cars at both the north and south ends allowed rush hour traffic to build up behind them. Once the construction barricades were removed at 5:00 am the First Responders, State Troopers, and Mn/DOT trucks slowly crossed the bridge with rush hour traffic in tow, officially opening the bridge. Flatiron-Manson is expected to earn $27 million in bonuses for accelerated performance. [cite web| title =Collapsed bridge may be rebuilt by September| publisher =MSNBC| date =2008-06-18| url =http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25248213/| accessdate =2008-08-14]

Construction photos

Cutting-edge technology

The bridge is equipped with anti-icing sprayers and was constructed with high-strength concrete. Bridge conditions are monitored with 323 sensors that regularly measure bridge conditions, such as deck movement, stress, and temperature. The data will be compiled and analyzed by University of Minnesota personnel. The bridge is illuminated with blue light-emitting diodes. [cite web| last = Mador| first = Jessica| title = Cutting-edge technology makes new 35W bridge a model for future| publisher = Minnesota Public Radio| date = 2009-09-16| url = http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/09/11/35w_technology/| accessdate =2009-09-16]

References

External links

* [http://projects.dot.state.mn.us/35wbridge/index.html I35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge - Minnesota Dept. of Transportation] - Official DOT Site for the Replacement Bridge. Shows Artist Renderings of the new bridge.
* [http://www.startribune.com/local/18346174.html Stribcam] , Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Retrieved on 2008-05-08. Live webcam of bridge under construction.

Crossings navbox
structure = Bridges
place = Mississippi River
bridge = St. Anthony Falls (35W) Bridge
bridge signs =
upstream = Stone Arch Bridge
upstream signs =
downstream = 10th Avenue Bridge
downstream signs =