Acrow Bridge (an AISC/NSBA member and AISC certified fabricator) recently announced that it designed and fabricated a temporary steel bridge for use as a detour during the replacement of an obsolete structure on U.S. Route 34 in Chariton, Iowa.
U.S. Route 34 is an east-west highway that runs from the western outskirts of Chicago to Granby, Colo. In Iowa, the route is a major arterial surface road across the southern part of the state. The existing structure had extensive cracking of the reinforced concrete deck, railing and substructure, and the width of 28 ft did not provide the level of service required by the Iowa DOT for this busy section of the interstate.
Acrow’s detour structure was selected to lessen the impact to traffic in the area and to provide a safer work zone by separating traffic from construction activity. Work zone accidents and fatalities continue to be an increasing problem, and the use of detour or bypass bridging provides enhanced safety for both workers and the motoring public. The bridge, rented to contractor Jensen Construction, is 200 ft long by 30 ft wide and accommodates two lanes of traffic.
“Using a rental structure allows for a fixed dollar-amount to be allocated to the detour bridge,” said Bill Killeen, president and CEO of Acrow Bridge. “The rental market has gained a strong foothold in the highway construction industry for its obvious safety benefits and because it can help ensure the project stays on or ahead of schedule, important for both contractors and state DOTs.”
The bridge was erected in May and it is expected to be in place until October.