- John F. Limehouse Memorial Bridge
The John F. Limehouse Memorial Bridge, located about 15 miles west of downtown
Charleston, South Carolina USA (32° 47.2' 80° 06.3'), replaces an obsolete low-levelswing bridge over theStono River . The newbridge , which crosses a channel between Johns Island andWest Ashley was completed under a partnership between the South Carolina Department of Transportation(SCDOT) and theUnited States Coast Guard .Purpose
The
Stono River is a critical part of the 3,000 miles ofIntracoastal Waterway used bybarges ,fishing boats , and recreationalmariners . The former swing bridge, built in1958 , was an obstruction to vessel traffic, thus removal was mandated by the Coast Guard in an Order to Alter issued in1994 , leaving only a few swing bridges in the Coast Guard’s Seventh District, fromKey West, Florida to the northernmost areas ofSouth Carolina The new, 2,800-foot concrete structure is a high-level, fixed span. The new bridge has a horizontal clearance for vessels of 215 feet compared with the former clearance of 93-feet and a vertical clearance of 65-feet above the high water mark, compared to a previous clearance of only 13-feet (closed). The new structure accommodates four lanes of traffic and provides access to Johns, Kiawah, Seabrook and Wadmalaw Islands.
Design and construction
Design of the bridge was contracted to Ralph Whitehead Associates, Inc. of
Charlotte, North Carolina Construction was awarded to Jones brothers, Inc. (JB), from MT. Juliet, Tenon.The Coast Guard provided about $21 million of the total $30 million bridge cost, with the rest paid by the State.The State government donated the debris to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
artificial reef program. After demolishing the old span, thecontractor transported its concrete and steel components to the Kiawah Reef site about 23 miles away. The Bridge was opened to traffic in June 2003, approximately two months ahead of schedule.References
* [http://www.gobridges.com/article.asp?id=264 Start to finish: Project makes interesting use of concrete] Go Bridges, Monday, March 01, 2004, Douglas E. McClure, P.E.; Gregory R. Sigmon, P.E.
* [http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tides07/tab2ec3a.html National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] locations of tide stations
* [http://www.scstatehouse.net/reports/Revised2DOTAnnualReport2004.pdf South Carolina Dept. of Transportation Annual Report] page 106
* [https://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/586/24087/ US Coast Guard Document] , Release #: 10-11, Release date: Oct. 27, 2003, Contact: Petty Officer Judy Silverstein
* [http://www.stvinc.com/project.aspx?id=267 STV Inc.] builder’s webpage describing project
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