Interstate 95 remains closed in both directions in Northeast Philadelphia after a truck fire caused part of the highway to collapse, it's going to screw up traffic in that area for months... the USA hasn't ever figured out how to quickly replace an overpass in less than a month.
Yes, the US can replace a bridge in one weekend.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.hntb.com/designer/accelerating-opportunity/#:~:text=During%20the%20April%202022%20weekend%20closure%2C%20the%20bridge,been%20successfully%20lifted%2C%20moved%20and%20set%20into%20place.
Pennsylvania's governor says the overpass will take months to rebuild. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/philadelphia-bridge-collapse-may-snarl-morning-commutes-northeast-2023-06-12/
Deleteshorter link: https://www.hntb.com/designer/accelerating-opportunity/
ReplyDeleteI'll meet you halfway, how about this... yes, that was a 60 hour replacement.
DeleteNo, it was not all accomplished in that weekend, ONLY the onsite replacement was done in a weekend, and it was more than a month from when they began planning, to when they were done replacing.
No matter how fast that 60 hour work was accomplished, the fact is that off site, and before that weekend, it took at least a month to make, deliver, get permits, and arrange for all the people and components to be there and get the old bridge out, and the new one in.
Would you agree? This, and every other UNPLANNED bridge demolition, can not be repaired in less than a month.
Can you also agree with that?
Yes, the Maine bridge replacement had a long lead/prep time.
ReplyDeleteThe fallen NB span of the Philadelphia I-95 bridge has already been demo'd.
This will be a cost plus emergency contract with a set number of calendar days for completion and most likely an early completion bonus. The General Contractor will make a killing, as he should.
The NB & SB bridges are simple single span steel beam bridges, their replacement will go fast.
Take a look at how quickly California makes emergency repairs on Route 1 along the coast and south of Monterey.
Let's check back at end of August and see where they are. I'd not be surprised to see traffic flowing.
I hope they have a problem free bridge replacement, but with the way things are going lately, either the parts and supply chain are of an unknown delivery date, waiting on China for some reason, OR someone is going on strike.
DeleteHeck yes, make a killing if you are capable of getting an Interstate flowing again quickly. Bonuses ought to be a part of that contract, because the detours are going to drive people crazy, both commuters, long haulers, tourists, and the people who live in the new detour area.. I expect they will hate the increased flood of all kinds of traffic that they did NOT sign up for when moving to someplace NOT near an interstate.
I posted about some landslide near Monterey a couple years ago, and one in New Zealand... I'm fascinated by the engineering and construction crews and equipment used to repair a section of freeway, or move a hill that slid onto a road. I don't think I have a simple easy way to find the many catastrophic road problems I've posted about in the past 15 years though, but, not many get fixed quick.
I agree, turn loose a good GC working with an Engineer on Design/Build on this without all the procurement b.s. and they'll get it done.
DeleteLet's end on this note and see what it looks like on August 31st.
ReplyDeleteWe had a somewhat similar incident here in Atlanta back in 2017. GDOT pretty much gave the contractor a blank check and said have it all back open in 90 (i think) days. Rumor has it, before the fire was even out, that GDOT had scrounged up the original plans and called the local beam casting yard. Told them to clear the beds immediately and start bending bars and pulling strands. Yard was so efficient that the beams even had their 28 day yard time for camber & creep before being set.
ReplyDeleteWow! I love to hear of a hard work ethic that attacks a challenging problem, and gets the power to ignore all the bureaucratic obstacles! Just get the work done! Very cool! I'm going to see about making a post about that!
DeleteSomebody call the Japanese, they will do that in a week.
ReplyDeleteI posted about a chinese (if I recall correctly) bridge being replaced in 24 hours.
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