BRIDGE REHABILITATION / TECHNOLOGY / BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION

TRAGEDY
IN BALTIMORE
A community rallies
around Brawner
Builders

MAY/JUNE 2024
WWW.ROADSBRIDGES.COM
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MAY/JUNE 2024 / VOL. 62 / NO. 5

10

FEATURES

10 TRAGEDY IN BALTIMORE
A community rallies around Brawner Builders

16 GROWING PAINS
How grid deck growth impacted the Parkersburg Memorial Bridge rehab
24
20 THE THREE SISTERS
How new life was given to a trio of iconic Pittsburgh bridges

24 ULTRA-HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE INNOVATIONS

Delaware Memorial Bridge project is completed in record time with less C02

28 TRANSFORMING CHARLESTON
An innovative bridge should improve pedestrian safety

34 TEXAS S-CURVE
34 A one-of-a-kind, network tied arch bridge connects trails in Dallas

38 FAST TIMES IN CINCINATTI

Innovative thinking fueled this interstate project

42 GRINDING AND GROOVING MACHINES

How to improve bridge deck safety

DEPARTMENTS
07 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 49 AD INDEX
Baltimore Strong
ON THE COVER 50 ROADS REPORT
Part of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key 08 LAW Don’t Be Afraid
Bridge sits on top of the Dali days after Not Another Notice Story (Except about bridges,
the ship crashed into the bridge. crazy drivers, or cars
Photo credit: Andrew Leyden/Shutterstock 46 BETTER KNOW A CONTRACTOR with no drivers)
From Grain Bins to Highways

MAY/JUNE 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 5

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 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
PUBLISHED BY
ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA
30 Burton Hills Blvd., Ste 185
Nashville, TN 37215
800-547-7377

Baltimore Strong
STAFF
SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR
Gavin Jenkins
GJenkins@Endeavorb2b.com
412-995-0095

DIGITAL EDITOR A love letter to a great American city

Ryan Curtiss
RCurtiss@Endeavorb2b.com
856-723-4765

ASSOCIATE EDITOR IN APRIL, I drove to Baltimore to attend workers who built them and those who
Harlee Hewitt the National Work Zone Awareness Week maintain them.
HHewitt@Endeavorb2b.com
918-927-9622 opening ceremony hosted by the Maryland Baltimore’s main interstate highways
VP/MARKET LEADER – Department of Transportation. (I-95, I-83, and I-70) do not touch. I-70
INFRASTRUCTURE & AVIATION GROUP
Brandon Williamson
I knew it would be a somber event. and I-95 were supposed to connect, but
BWilliamson@Endeavorb2b.com In a little over a year, Baltimore’s con- the former wasn’t completed because of
512-739-2102
struction industry has been struck by two freeway revolts in the city. When I was
MEDIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Patrick Keefe major tragedies: six employees of Brawner given directions to the National Work Zone
PKeefe@Endeavorb2b.com Builders died when the Francis Scott Key Awareness Week ceremony, I was told to
847-494-7044
Bridge collapsed in March, and six highway “go east on I-70 until it ends.”
MEDIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Mike Mandozzi workers died when a car crashed into their “It ends?” I said.
MMandozzi@Endeavorb2b.com
224-313-1323
work zone on Interstate-695 in 2023. “Yup. Can’t miss it.”
Two other workers died in work zone It’s also impossible to miss the pride
MEDIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Deanna Morgan crashes in the months between. Baltimoreans have for their home.
DMorgan@Endeavorb2b.com
901-517-0699 But I also was excited because I The Key Bridge collapse is a global
CLASSIFIED MEDIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
had never been to Baltimore, despite tragedy because of the financial and supply
Rich Thompson spending most of my life a four-hour drive chain implications. But, more than anything,
RThompson@Endeavorb2b.com
952-449-1592 away in Pittsburgh. it’s a local tragedy — one that will touch
PRODUCTION & CIRCULATION
Before these tragedies, when someone workers in the Port of Baltimore, business
ART DIRECTOR | Jennifer Dakas mentioned Baltimore, I thought about crab owners on either side of the bridge, and
PRODUCTION MANAGER cakes, “The Wire,” or the Ravens. people impacted by the traffic the new
Edward Bartlett
EBartlett@Endeavorb2b.com
Given the rivalry between the Steelers detours cause. Think of the delivery drivers
AD SERVICES MANAGER
and Ravens (which the Steelers are who are missing their marks or single
Karen Runion winning with a 35-25 regular season parents who are late to get home.
KRunion@Endeavorb2b.com
record, plus a 3-1 advantage in the NFL From now on, when someone mentions
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Shirley Patino | SPatino@Endeavorb2b.com playoffs), I have been predisposed to look Baltimore, I won’t think of seafood, a
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR down on Baltimore. television show, or a rival football team.
Adrienne Miller | AMiller@Endeavorb2b.com I was insane to have disdain for this Words like pride, unity, and strength will
847-391-1036
great American city. It’s a blue-collar region come to mind.
SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES
877-382-9187; 847-559-7598 that has fought hard to rebound from its As Baltimore heals, its leaders will advo-
Roads & Bridges | RAB@omeda.com
P.O. Box 3257 Northbrook, IL 60065-3257
industrial heights. It’s beautiful, friendly, cate for safety measure to make sure these
and — especially compared to Pittsburgh — tragedies are prevented in other cities.
LIST RENTAL
Bart Piccirillo | Bart.piccirrillo@data-axle.com easy to navigate. Because Baltimoreans have character, too.
Michael Costantino
Michael.Costantino@data-axle.com Baltimore’s roads are organized in a grid
and spoke pattern.
The Baltimore-Washington Parkway
opened in stages between 1950 and 1954.
CORPORATE
Its creation gave residents and businesses
ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC a direct line to the nation’s capital. Gavin Jenkins
CEO | Chris Ferrell The city’s interstates are some of the Senior Managing Editor
PRESIDENT | June Griffin best in the country, which is a credit to the GJenkins@Endeavorb2b.com
COO | Patrick Rains
CRO | Paul Andrews

CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER | Jacquie Niemiec FOR THE LATEST NEWS . . . FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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INTELLIGENCE | Paul Mattioli and much more.

MAY/JUNE 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 7

LAW
Not Another Notice Story
This defensive argument seems to be on the rise
AS I CONSIDERED the subject matter for this
column, I found yet another example of courts
strictly enforcing notice requirements. If you
Jon Straw regularly read this column, you have seen similar
is a partner with scenarios and may wonder, “Why am I reading yet
Kraftson Caudle, PLC,
a law firm in McLean,
another story about notice?”
Va., specializing The answer is simply because the issue is yet
in heavy-highway again in a recent example. Additionally, it seems
and transportation
construction. Straw
to me (an unscientific observer) that the frequency
can be contacted of notice as a defensive argument is increasing in
via e-mail at jstraw@ usage by owners and higher-tier contractors.
kraftsoncaudle.com.
In this story from Washington, a contractor agreed
to perform certain infrastructure improvements for the
city of Snoqualmie. These projects included a new
water main, storm drainage system, roadway paving,
and relocation of above-ground power, cable, and
phone lines to underground locations.
The contract was formed in May 2014 and
included the 2012 Washington State Department
of Transportation Standard Specifications, which
included mandatory notice and claim procedures.
C.A. Carey Corp. v. City of Snoqualmie, Court of
Appeals of Washington, Division 1, Case No. 84602-
7-I (April 19, 2024).
Notice is more than a mere procedural requirement. Notice
helps the project and the parties to progress pro-actively.
Notice requirements are sometimes criticized as
mere procedural requirements by elevating form
over substance. Fundamentally, notice requirements
allow the recipient/decision-maker (usually the owner
or higher-tier contractor) to accept or reject potential
future costs and/or time associated with a change.
Notice allows all parties to better understand the
scope and impacts of changes before they occur and
to mitigate, as much as possible, the impacts. The
substantive effect of notification helps all parties.
When the owner agrees to the change, the con-
tractor should have no (or less) trouble getting paid
because of the agreement. When the decision-maker
disagrees, and if the change is still necessary, then
the contractor should reasonably control its costs
knowing later payment may not be made.
Notice is more than a mere procedural require-
ment. Notice helps the project and the parties to
progress pro-actively.
8 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
Returning to the Washington story, shortly after
the contractor sued the city for breach of contract,
the city argued the contractor failed to strictly comply
with the notice and claims procedures.
The contractor, and interested industry groups,
argued that the contractor need not have strictly
complied when it substantially complied.
In other words, they argued that if the city
actually knew about the changes and impacts, then
the contractor need not have duplicated the same
communication effort by documenting notifications
in writing and at the strict timing of “within seven
days of the occurrence of [the change]” and “before
commencing performance of the [changed work].”
However, the trial and appellate courts held that
strict compliance was what the parties intended and;
therefore, was the requirement.
Each court relied upon a Washington State
Supreme Court decision from 2003 explaining that
“contractors are required to comply with the manda-
tory protest and claim procedures even when the
owner has actual notice of the protest or claim.”
Washington is not unique in this requirement.
Virginia is another state requiring strict compliance
and, on Virginia Department of Transportation con-
tracts, a particular phrase (sometimes called “magic
language”) is required. Texas joined the same group
in 2022. (See Roads and Bridges Law Column, April
2023.) This is not a complete list; there are more.
Do not worry! You can comply during the project.
• Dedicate resources to change and notification
management. Do not just watch events unfold;
manage and use them to your advantage.
• Track timelines. While acquiring, preparing, provid-
ing, and negotiating change pricing, track events
during the project so you know when to notify.
• Understand how to notify. Proper notice is
usually written. Meeting minutes or daily reports
may not be enough.
• Transmission mode may matter. Hand delivery
may be best or certified mail may be required.
E-mail may not be acceptable.
• Unnecessary notice may be safer. When you learn
the actual scope of impacts, it may be too late to
notify because you should have known sooner
and/or you agreed (by contract) to an earlier
notice deadline. It may be better to notify and not
need it later than never to have notified.
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TRAGEDY IN BALT
A community
rallies around
Brawner
Builders
By Gavin Jenkins,
Senior Managing Editor
This April 23 photo shows
the container vessel Dali still
trapped and aground under the
wreckage of the Francis Scott
Key Bridge in Baltimore.
CREDIT: ANDREW LEYDEN/SHUTTERSTOCK
10 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
AT 1:29 A.M. ON MARCH 26, a law enforce-
ment officer in the Port of Baltimore sent the
following radio transmission to dispatch:
“The whole bridge just fell down. Start
whoever. Everybody. The whole bridge just
collapsed.”
Forty-five minutes later, David Berkhimer
woke up to his phone ringing.
As the vice president of infrastructure
at Brawner Builders, a contractor company
headquartered in Hunt Valley, Md., he had an
eight-man team filling potholes on the Francis
Scott Key Bridge that night.
Berkhimer answered the phone and heard
what he called indescribable news: a fully loaded
container ship named Dali hit the Key Bridge,
and it had collapsed into the Patapsco River.
Six of Berkhimer’s team members were
missing. One member of Brawner Builders’
road maintenance team survived by swimming
ashore after falling into the river. An eighth
man, a state employee, survived by running
from the bridge.
Berkhimer got dressed and rushed from his
home. He drove to the southern end of the Key
Bridge, near Fort Armistead on Hawkins Point.
Jack Murphy, the owner of Brawner Builders,
drove to the north side of the bridge, near
Dundalk. Kevin Zinkand, a senior project
manager at Brawner Builders, who was the first
to receive a call, joined Murphy. The three men
wanted to be on each side of the bridge in case
there was news.
Berkhimer watched as the area along the

TIMORE
shore crowded with police cars, ambulances, fire trucks, and
boats with rescue equipment.
“It was a surreal experience,” Berkhimer said. “They were all
very committed and determined to get out there on the water
and find our guys.”
Hours passed, and as the sun rose over Baltimore,
Berkhimer and Murphy remained on their respective sides of
the bridge, hoping for good news.
“It was a difficult morning to just wait,” Berkhimer said.
The six Brawner Builders employees who died when the Key
Bridge collapsed — José Mynor López, Alejandro Hernandez
Fuentes, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Yasir Suazo-
Sandoval, Carlos Daniel Hernandez Estrella, and Miguel Angel
Luna Gonzalez — have since been recovered from the Patapsco
River. López, the last to be found, was discovered on May 7.
The Key Bridge collapse is a layered tragedy. From a struc-
tural perspective, it has started an industry-wide conversation
KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE
about protection systems around bridge pillars. The event also
has pushed the importance of work zone safety to a new level
of awareness. It is an international disaster, as the workers
were from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico, and
the Port of Baltimore is vital to the supply chain, as well as the
global economy.
And Brawner Builders, a reliable, dedicated, and hard-
working contracting company that has worked on Maryland’s
roads and bridges since 1980, sits at the center of everything as
they mourn and care for the families of their dead colleagues.
Grieving like this is usually done in private, away from work
and the public. But Brawner Builders had contracts for other
jobs that they had to tackle. It also has received attention from
national media outlets. Brawner Builders doesn’t have a com-
munications director, so Jeffrey Pritzker, executive vice presi-
dent and general counsel for Brawner Builders, has stepped up
to speak to mainstream media outlets.
“We’ve received hundreds of phone calls from media all
over the world, but primarily New York, Chicago, and Baltimore,”
Pritzker said. “It’s been a full-time job.”
Pritzker added that calls from people asking how they can
help the families have been mixed in with the media requests.
“Which is something that’s really wonderful,” he said.
IMMEASURABLE LOSS
The Port of Baltimore is one of the busiest in the United
States, and though four channels have been opened, until the
984-foot-long Dali is removed, the collapse will continue to
impact economies around the world.
In 2023, the port handled 52.3 million tons of international
cargo, which was worth about $80.8 billion.
After the collapse, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore went so far as
to call this a “global crisis.”
Locally, the collapse has impacted businesses throughout
Baltimore and created a traffic nightmare, as the 35,000 cars and
trucks that used the Key Bridge each day find alternative routes.
But lost revenue and minutes stuck in traffic are ripple
effects that can be calculated.
There is no way to measure how devastating the collapse
is to the roads and bridges construction industry in the
Baltimore region.
This is a community of infrastructure workers who were still
reeling from the Interstate-695 work zone crash that killed six
highway workers on March 23, 2023.
On that day, two motorists were driving over 120 miles per
hour, according to police. One driver hit the other while changing
lanes. This forced the second driver to spin out of control and go
through an opening in a concrete barrier, hitting and killing six
highway construction workers from Concrete General, Inc.
The construction team who died included Carlos Orlando
Villatoro Escobar, Jose Armando Escobar, Rolando Ruiz, Mahlon
Simmons II, Mahlon Simmons III and Sybil Lee Dimaggio.
Michael Higgins, the general manager at Concrete General,
said the Baltimore construction industry seems to be in disbelief
over how these two tragedies have occurred almost a year apart.
MAY/JUNE 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 11
KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE

Taken on April 5, this photo shows salvage efforts at the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
That day, President Biden arrived to pledge his support for rebuilding the bridge,
as well as his empathy for Baltimore. CREDIT: ANDREW LEYDEN/SHUTTERSTOCK

“But the industry is very strong here in the state of Maryland,”

Higgins said. “We are willing pitch in to help in whatever way.”
That’s one silver lining to come out of these tragedies.
Though shocking and devastating, they have united Baltimore’s
construction industry, and Brawner Builders, its employees, and
their families have been supported during this rough time.
“It really does speak to what a tight knit community this
construction industry is here,” Berkhimer said.

A FAMILY COMPANY
Brawner Builders rents equipment and inspects bridges. Its team
has renovated buildings, constructed offices, and built shopping
centers, heavy industrial plants, and academic institutions.
Its portfolio also includes Maryland infrastructure projects like
the Harford Road Bridge over Herring Run Park, the Interstate-83
emergency repair project, the Patapsco River Pedestrian Bridge,
and the Interstate-70 Parapet Rehabilitation Project.
Murphy began working at Brawner Builders when he was
in college. He started as a laborer, and after he graduated, he
was hired as foreman. He was promoted to superintendent and
eventually bought the company from its founder, Jay Brawner.
“This is not a family-owned company,” Berkhimer said. “But it
In this photo from April 23, the Dali was still trapped under the wreckage of the
is a family company.” Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore.
On the morning the bridge collapsed, after the sun came CREDIT: ANDREW LEYDEN/SHUTTERSTOCK

up over the port, Berkhimer, Murphy, and Zinkand turned their

attention to the families of the missing men.
Brawner Builders representatives, including Berkhimer and
Murphy, met up with the families and sat with them for several
days following the collapse.
Pritzker said the families received prepaid credit cards for
whatever they need.
“We are continuing the flow of compensation to those
families while we try to figure everything out,” Pritzker said.
Brawner Builders must handle workers compensation and
insurance. While that gets ironed out, the company also set up a
GoFundMe campaign for the families. Titled “Brawner Families
Relief Fund,” the campaign has raised over $163,000, with a
goal of $300,000.
There isn’t a playbook that contracting companies can
turn to during a crisis like this. But the company’s family-first
approach seems to be working.
Brawner Builders also enlisted the help of grief counselors to
speak to its employees, from office staff to field crew members.
A few days after the collapse, the company held one large
session to talk through what had happened as a group and discuss
how everyone was feeling. Berkhimer said they wanted employees
to be aware of the counseling programs to which they had access.

12 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024

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Days later, Berkhimer talked to one of his foremen about the

group session and how it was received by the employees.
“His response to me was, ‘You know, I was always of the
mindset that I don’t need to talk to anybody,’” Berkhimer said.
“And he told me he couldn’t believe how much that helped.”

ONE YEAR LATER

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) hosted
this year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week in April. To
open the week, MDOT held a ceremony on Interstate 70,
overlooking the site of the Interstate-695 crash that killed
six workers in 2023. As the ceremony ended, more than 200
transportation vehicles participated in a “Unity Ride” around the
I-695 Beltway in support of work zone safety.
Brawner Builders participated in the Unity Ride, and though
the two tragedies are different in many ways, they will likely be
linked because of the timing and the region.
Those who felt the ripple effect from the I-695 Beltway
crash are on the other side of the grieving process, but it
hasn’t changed how shocking it was. And seeing industry
contemporaries in the same city go through it a year later has
brought back those memories. Higgins remembers being in the
Concrete General office after the 2023 crash happened.
“It was very surreal,” he said. “You’re almost in disbelief that
something like that could happen.”
Higgins said that grieving the deaths of six employees over
the past year has been one of the hardest challenges of his
career at Concrete General.
“It’s a very difficult process to get through, to steer an
organization through such a catastrophic loss,” Higgins said.
“There’s no formula for how to address it. Each company and its
leaders need to address it in a way that best fits their folks and
their families.”
Higgins said that, as Concrete General grieved, a major
challenge for leadership became aiding employees who
couldn’t help but think, “that could have been me” or “that
could be me tomorrow.”
In this photo from April 23, salvage crews use a wrecking ball to break up the
submerged roadway of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore before removing
the debris. CREDIT: ANDREW LEYDEN/SHUTTERSTOCK
Officials across Maryland have responded to the I-695 Beltway
crash with action. Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller chaired the work
zone safety work group, which released a recommendation in
January that a cultural shift must occur among drivers.
After the National Work Zone Awareness Week opening
ceremony, Miller said that it’s important for drivers to prioritize
workers on America’s roadways.
“People often don’t acknowledge the great severity of the work
that they encounter on a daily basis,” Miller said. “With high-speed
vehicles flying by them while they are trying to do construction
work, that is not an easy site to be working at, so we want to make
sure they are protected as much as possible. That’s why we’re
moving forward with education, engineering, and enforcement.”
Teri Soos, deputy chief operating officer at Maryland’s State
Highway Administration, oversaw the incident response of the
I-695 Beltway crash. She agrees that drivers need to change.
“We know drivers seem to be displaying some rather risky
behavior on the roads these days,” Soos said.

Tugs assisting tanker approaching Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge (I-695).
CREDIT: CHARLIE FLOYD/SHUTTERSTOCK

14 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024


She also believes innovation could provide solutions. Soos
said the SHA is moving towards using automated flagger
assistance devices.
“It removes that human being from that very exposed
position as the first point of contact that the driver might come
across,” Soos said.
Work zone safety is an ongoing challenge for the industry.
Educating the public, embracing innovation, and enforcing
traffic laws seem to be a great strategy. However, that doesn’t
apply to what happened to the Key Bridge, which seems to
have been a tragic accident. For the foreseeable future, one
question will be discussed throughout the industry: Could the
Key Bridge tragedy have been prevented?
SAFETY MEASURES
In 1980, a freighter ship collided with a support column of
Tampa’s Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Rush-hour traffic was on the
bridge, and when it collapsed, 35 people died.
The bridge was rebuilt with numerous safety enhancements
to safeguard against future collisions. The bridge was elevated
from 800 feet to 1,200 feet. The channel was widened and
incorporated two layers of protection for bridge piers.
Most importantly, when the bridge reopened in 1987, it
features 36 dolphins — circular concrete barriers along the
bridge’s central supports to protect the structure from impact.
Goodbye,
Jackhammers.
Bridges
Reservoirs
KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE
Two rock islands were also built to surround the main channel
supports and go all the way to the sea floor.
A steel arch continuous through truss bridge, the Key Bridge
opened in 1977 and did not have those safety measures. It’s
impossible to know if dolphins would have prevented the Dali
from hitting and collapsing the Key Bridge. The Dali is nearly
as long as the Eiffel Tower. It weighs 95,000 tons empty — and
it was fully loaded. However, when the Key Bridge is rebuilt,
safety measures such as the ones incorporated into the new
Sunshine Skyway Bridge will likely be considered.
The Key Bridge collapse could prove to be a wakeup call.
There are roughly 309 major bridges spanning navigable water-
ways in America, and according to a recent report by the New
York Times, 193 of those bridges have no protections installed
around the piers. These are bridges in cities like Boston, New
Orleans, and Philadelphia; each carry more 10,000 vehicles over
it a day. Yet, their foundations are at risk of being struck by ships.
However, engineering can only make construction work-
ers so safe. As Miller pointed out, it also takes education and
enforcement. Or, as Berkhimer put it: “We need everybody
to step up and pay closer attention and do their part to keep
everybody safe through these work zones.”
To donate to the GoFundMe that will support the families of
the men who died on the Key Bridge, please visit brawnerbuild-
ers.com. The link is at the top of the page.
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MAY/JUNE 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 15
GROWING PAINS
How grid THE PARKERSBURG MEMORIAL Bridge
opened in 1955. Spanning the Ohio River, it
requirement to rehabilitate it and keep the
structure open for at least another 50 years.
deck growth connects Parkersburg, W.V. with Belpre, Ohio. To rehabilitate the bridge, UBP teamed with
impacted the The bridge has undergone minor mainte-
nance projects, but no major work. Much of the
Modjeski and Masters (M&M) as engineer of
record, Burgess and Niple (B&N) as owner’s
Parkersburg bridge remained original, including the concrete- engineer, and Kokosing Construction Company
Memorial filled steel grid deck.
To extend its life, Parkersburg load posted the
(KCC) as general contractor. The project used
a Construction Manager/General Contractor
Bridge rehab bridge at 10 tons in 2017. However, a significant (CMGC) model, in which the contractor provides
rehabilitation project was needed, but it would input throughout the design process.
By Dan McCaffrey, be cost-prohibitive. The goal was to restore the bridge condi-
Contributing Author In 2021, United Bridge Partners (UBP) bought tion to at least a “7” in Federal Highway
the bridge from Parkersburg, along with the Administration’s National Bridge Inspection
Standards condition rating system.
The lower lateral bracing system was
corroded, particularly near the connections to
the truss, where water had leaked through the
deteriorated deck and curb. Stringer ends below
the deck expansion joints had deteriorated, too.
The planned lateral bracing repair work, as
well as stringer strengthening, needed to be
Above: The Parkersburg Memorial performed early because the rehabilitation work
Bridge stretching across the Ohio required heavy equipment and paint contain-
River. Right: A photo of early steel
repair.
ment that would increase the wind loading.
CREDIT: BURGESS AND NIPLE The UBP team accelerated the development

16 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024

 BRIDGE REHABILITATION

of the early steel repair plans and Coast Guard coordination. of which prevent grid growth.
Work began in November, 2021. This work was considered If the grid had not been composite with the stringers, the
temporary, as it would later be replaced by permanent repairs problems would have been limited to the deck and joints;
during the full rehabilitation. The lateral bracing and stringer however, every bearing bar was welded to the stringer top
repairs consisted of bolting on strengthening plates, without the flange. Therefore, tension was being applied to the top flange,
removal of existing material. as the deck tried to stretch it. This caused the stringers to arch
The strengthening steel was also only cut to size without upward and to grow longer.
precise geometry, and the holes were field drilled. The work The arching of the stringers resulted in rotation of the end
only required the closure of one lane of traffic and was connections where they were riveted to the floorbeam webs,
performed using a mobile platform. The early steel work was which caused cracking in the connection angles.
completed in March 2022. The floorbeams are connected to the truss at their ends with
While the early steel repairs were being performed, M&M clip angles. The longitudinal pushing of the stringers bowed the
developed the rehabilitation details. M&M’s designers noticed floorbeams out-of-plane several inches and rotated them out
unusual patterns of deck joints being closed, bowed and non- of plumb. This was due to the upper portion of the floorbeam
plumb floorbeams, cracked or deformed floorbeam and stringer receiving the brunt of the push from the stringers.
connection angles, and leaning bearings. This also caused high stresses, deformation and tearing of
The movements were not indicative of typical temperature the floorbeam web at the connection to the truss. Cracks in the
movements and anticipated positions of the bridge. After plot- web of a floorbeam in this area are not uncommon for truss
ting the locations of these issues on a plan view and examining and tied arch bridges due to the bottom chord or tie wanting to
the field information, it was apparent that there was a single stretch under live load while the deck does not.
cause for these problems: longitudinal growth of the concrete- Although the symptoms were similar between this typical
filled steel grid deck. behavior and the effects of grid growth, the cause was quite
Grid deck growth is caused by the corrosion of the steel grid different. In typical situations, the deck resists the movement of
bars. The corrosion product of steel is expansive in that it takes the floorbeam where it is connected to the bottom chord or tie
up more space than the original steel itself. This is why steel and cracks occur as the web gets worked back and forth.
can have layers of delaminated corrosion that are thicker than the For the Parkersburg Memorial Bridge, it was the opposite:
original material, often making the corrosion look worse than it is. the deck stretched and pushed the stringers and floorbeams,
When steel is embedded in concrete, corrosion pushes it which were being held back by the bottom chord.
against the adjacent concrete and often causes spalling. This is The issues caused by the grid growth presented some chal-
true for concrete piers as well as for a traditional rebar-reinforced lenges for the rehabilitation, in design and detailing, but also in
concrete deck. the order of construction operations.
In the case of a concrete-filled steel grid, the main
bars of the steel grid reinforcing are rolled shapes,
with a bulge at the top and bottom that act as flanges.
As moisture makes its way to the vertical faces of the
steel bearing bars, corrosion can occur, which pushes
on the adjacent concrete.
But, because the bearing bar is full height and has
a top and bottom flange, the concrete is confined and
cannot spall like it would in a traditional deck. This
causes compression stresses in the concrete and
tension stresses in the grid’s secondary bars, which
run perpendicular to the main bearing bars.
The above photos show cracked stringer end connections. CREDIT: MODJESKI AND MASTERS.
On some bridges, the compressive action of the
concrete against the main bearing bar is enough to
restrict the further incursion of water, reducing further
deterioration. In other cases, corrosion builds, the
secondary grid bars stretch, and the deck gets longer.
For the Parkersburg Memorial Bridge, the deck
was a 4-inch deep, filled grid, with main bearing bars
oriented transversely to the bridge, spanning from
longitudinal stringer to longitudinal stringer.
Therefore, the grid growth occurred along the
bridge’s length. Modern grid decks are usually
These two photos of the Parkersburg Memorial Bridge show a torn floor beam web.
galvanized and often include an integral overfill, both CREDIT: MODJESKI AND MASTERS.

MAY/JUNE 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 17

BRIDGE REHABILITATION
A Modjeski and Masters worker installs strain gauges on the Parkersburg Memorial Bridge. Gauges were
installed on the fascia stringers and bottom chord at three longitudinal locations.
CREDIT: MODJESKI AND MASTERS
The planned phasing for the project required the mainte-
nance of one lane of traffic throughout construction, with the
deck replacement occurring one lane at a time. Knowing that
the bridge was stressed in the stringers, floorbeams and bottom
chord, there was concern that the phased approach would only
partially relieve these stresses in each phase. That would affect
the control of geometry, particularly for the deck and joints.
Operations were adjusted to relieve the grid growth stresses
as the first element of work. To do this, the deck had to be
separated from the stringers so that the supporting steel could
be permitted to relax. Realizing that the deck was longer than
it should be, 3 inches of deck was removed at every deck relief
joint to provide the room for the steel to relax.
The concrete fill of the grid was removed in strips along the
tops of the stringers using hydrodemolition. Once the welds
of the grid to the stringers were exposed, they were removed
using air-arc gouging and grinding. This weld removal work was
moved to the beginning of the project. An initial 45-day bridge
closure was utilized to mill the asphalt wearing surface, hydro-
demo the concrete, remove the welds, install the painter’s
access platforms, and set temporary concrete barriers.
For each continuous deck section between deck joints,
a short length of stringer retained the weld, so that the deck
maintained longitudinal load-carrying ability.
Temporary bracing was added because the stringers were
now no longer braced by the grid deck (except where the short
length of deck to stringer weld was not removed). This took the
18 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
form of small angles tight fit to the edge of the
stringer flange and welded to the underside of
the grid deck from above.
Relative movement between the deck and
the stringers was noticed immediately during
weld removal operations, with some welds fail-
ing as load was released from removed welds
and picked up by adjacent ones.
It was concluded that the grid deck growth
was as much as 1 inch in 90 feet. Since the
length of the truss spans is 2,050 feet, this
equates to 22 inches of additional deck length.
The 3-inch, expanded “relief” joints that were
cut into the deck closed up as the welds were
removed and progressive sections were freed.
After this work was completed, the single-
lane construction zone was set up, the bridge
was re-opened to traffic, and the deck replace-
ment work began. M&M installed strain gauges
to get an estimate of the stresses that were
relieved due to the initial separation of the deck
from the stringers. Vibrating wire strain gauges
were installed on the fascia stringers and bot-
tom chord at three longitudinal locations, and
on all stringers and both chords at one location
in Span 5 (230-foot truss).
Gauges were positioned at mid-height and
at the bottom flange to establish a stress gradi-
ent in the member and calculate axial and moment stresses.
After installation, two measurements were taken throughout
the weld removal process: at about halfway through and at final
completion. The highest stress reduction in a stringer was mea-
sured as 12.2 kilo-pounds per square inch (ksi). The highest stress
reduction for a bottom chord location was 4.6 ksi. At the Span 5
location, the stringer stresses were uniform across the width, with
an average axial stress reduction in the stringers of 9.6 ksi and an
average axial stress reduction in the chord of about 2.75 ksi.
This equates to about 1,200 kilo-pounds of axial force being
relieved on the structure, which came from the grid growth.
Although filled steel grid decks are robust and have sig-
nificant lifespans, grid growth can occur and be detrimental to
other components.
At the Parkersburg Memorial Bridge, some of the floorbeams
did not rebound, remaining bowed. It was decided to make
them composite with the deck, to supplement their strength.
They are braced at each stringer with new connection angles,
which resist any further lateral movement. The new deck is
a cast-in-place deck that uses fiber-reinforced concrete and
galvanized rebar. This CIP deck system accommodates any
residual geometry anomalies quite easily and will provide the
50-year life required by the contract. The project was com-
pleted last summer.
Dan McCaffrey is a senior project manager at Modjeski and Masters.

 

        
         
   

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          


BRIDGE REHABILITATION
THE THREE SISTERS
How new life THIS FACT SEEMS so unexpected to most
Americans that it could be a “Jeopardy!” question:
was given This jewel of Appalachia is called the “City of
to a trio Bridges” because it boasts 446 of them.
Answer: What is Pittsburgh?
of iconic For those who have never visited southwest
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, the city needs each of these
structures. The Allegheny River and Monongahela
bridges River converge downtown at Point State Park,
where the French built Fort Duquesne in 1754, and
By Aaron B. Colorito form the Ohio River.
and Justin Bouscher, Pittsburgh’s three rivers are surrounded by
Contributing Authors so many hills and ravines that these crossings
have come to symbolize the city. They are part
of Pittsburgh’s identity and culture, and they are
essential to the region’s transportation system.
The Three Sisters Bridges are perhaps the
An aerial view of the Three most iconic ones in Pittsburgh. Not far from
Sisters bridges, looking east, the Point, they span the Allegheny River and
up the Allegheny River in connect downtown to North Shore destinations
Pittsburgh. like PNC Park, Acrisure Stadium, and the Andy
CREDIT: MICHAEL BAKER
INTERNATIONAL Warhol Museum.
20 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
The trio of bridges honor local icons: the
Roberto Clemente (Sixth Street) Bridge, named
for the greatest right fielder in the history
of professional baseball who played for the
Pittsburgh Pirates; the Andy Warhol (Seventh
Street) Bridge, named for the artist, director, and
producer; and the Rachel Carson (Ninth Street)
Bridge, named for the noted marine biologist,
writer, and conservationist.
The current crossings were designed by the
Allegheny County Department of Public Works
and built between 1924 and 1928 in response to
a mandate by the War Department to increase
vertical clearance over inland navigable rivers.
These structures reflect historic bridge design
and construction feats. They were the first suspen-
sion bridges erected by the cantilever method,
where the bridges were erected as cantilever
trusses using temporary members.
They also make up the only trio of identical,
side-by-side bridges in the world, are the first
self-anchored suspension bridges constructed in
 BRIDGE REHABILITATION

the United States and are listed on the National Register of AN INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH
Historic Places. While the Three Sisters Bridges are identical, they have aged in
In recent years, it was determined that the bridges required different ways.
rehabilitation because of accelerating age-related deterioration. The team approached the rehabilitation of each structure
The owner, Allegheny County, selected Michael Baker separately as each had its own needs and posed its own
International for preliminary engineering, final
design, and construction-phase services for the
rehabilitation of each bridge. L.R. Kimball, now part
of TranSystems, completed the final design of the
Rachel Carson (Ninth Street) Bridge.
To effectively analyze the bridges, the team’s
engineers devised an approach blending modern
analysis tools with traditional design methods. The
bridges were analyzed for the first time using a
fully three-dimensional finite element analysis.
To verify the results, the structures were also
analyzed by hand using techniques formulated
in the 1940s. Michael Baker performed the first
Load and Resistance Factor Design analysis of the
bridge. This uncovered a mistake in the original
calculations, which was addressed during the
rehabilitation.

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challenges. The designers combined recognition of historical
significance with modern engineering practices to complete a
structurally superior, sustainable rehabilitation project that was
also sensitive to the historic nature of the eye-catching bridges.
The existing hold-down mechanisms were replaced using
temporary systems to maintain the existing bridge vertical
geometry.
Structural steel repairs were provided as required to
increase member strengths as well as repair damage from
corrosion and vessel strikes on the Allegheny River.
In 2005, the former Seventh Street Bridge became the first
bridge in the United States to be named for a visual artist. The
Andy Warhol Bridge’s rehabilitation began in 2016 and was
completed in 2018.
The existing flat, deteriorated steel curbs were replaced with new sloped steel
curbs with sealant and gaskets to prevent standing water along the stiffening
girders. The height of the curb also serves to help protect the stiffening girders
from vehicular impact. CREDIT: AARON B. COLORITO
22 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
Crew members replace a
damaged hanger eyebar
at panel point 16.
CREDIT: AARON B. COLORITO.
The updates to the structure involved the replacement of the
concrete bridge deck, full repainting, steel repairs of the fascia
beams and sidewalk framing, floor beam connections, stiffening
girders and sidewalk brackets, substructure repairs, and installa-
tion of scour protection.
The second bridge to undergo rehabilitation, the Rachel
Carson Bridge, began work in 2019 and was completed in
2020. Renamed on Earth Day 2006, the bridge’s rehabilitation
included repairs to the steel members and replacement of the
concrete deck. Additionally, service lines for utilities and the
expansion dams and drainage systems were replaced.
The bridge updates also included new sidewalk framing and
sidewalks.
The Roberto Clemente Bridge was the final of the Three
Sisters to be rehabilitated. Renamed after the Hall of Fame
baseball player in 1998, the bridge is closed to vehicular traffic
on game days for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers, which
makes it even more significant for local residents.
The rehabilitation began in 2022, and the bridge opened to
traffic again on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023.
Rehabilitation of the bridge required the replacement of the
existing deteriorated concrete deck, structural steel repairs,
including a complete eyebar hanger replacement, replacement
of the sidewalk framing and concrete sidewalks, and replace-
ment of the bridge hold-down mechanisms.
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
Because of the bridges’ age, history, and importance to the city,
materials not normally used in modern bridge construction were
required to complete the rehabilitations.
 BRIDGE REHABILITATION

These included unique tie-down stakeholders involved, and accepting Sisters Bridges complete, Pittsburgh
anchorages combining high-strength and incorporating comments and locals and visitors alike can enjoy a
post-tensioning bar and high-early- feedback into the solutions. convenient, safe, and beautiful river
strength cement grouts; forged steel When the Roberto Clemente Bridge crossing for decades to come.
bridge pins and nuts; permanently reopened on New Year’s Eve 2023, the
lubricated bronze bushings and washers; opening ceremony coincided with the
lubricants to fill the roller “nests” at the launch of an enhanced lighting system. Aaron B. Colorito is a technical manager for
expansion towers; and bronze dedication Specialized shows can be run during Michael Baker International. Justin Bouscher
plaques cast to replace missing plaques. holidays and can be static or dynamic. is a bridge department manager for Michael
Thousands of rivets were replaced With the rehabilitation of all Three Baker International.
with ASTM F3125 Grades F1852 and
F2280 high-strength bolts with button
heads to mimic the look of historic rivets,
improving structural capacity while
being sensitive to appearance. Bolts
were installed with a high-tech electric
wrench that allowed them to be inserted

ACCELER ATED ,
and tightened from one side, thereby
providing uniform torque on the nuts and
uniform pretension in the bolts. Fracture-
critical tie-downs were replaced with
new tie-downs to add redundancy. LONG-TERM PAVEMENT
Pittsburgh’s history is deeply
engrained in its industrial past, and over PRESERVAT ION
time, the sandstone masonry substruc-
ture units of all three bridges had been
obscured beneath the soot from the
local steel mills.  Durable, high strength and low shrinkage
The team cleaned this masonry to
reveal its original appearance.  Open to traffic in 2-3 hours
Various methods were tested in
search of the desired results, including
 One cement for multiple uses
various chemicals, concentrations, pres-  Adjustable setting times
sure washing, and even a laser-ablation
process, but in the end, a wet-abrasive
blasting method using glass bead media
was utilized across all three structures.
This process offered the best
compromise between restoring the
original masonry surface appearance
and color while minimizing damage to
the hand-finished masonry surfaces. The
bridges were repainted with an Aztec
Gold finish coat, the iconic color of most
of the bridges in downtown Pittsburgh.
Continual collaboration was required
among more than 20 key stakeholders
to successfully complete this project. A
major challenge was to find ways that
such a large group could reach agree- Extensive customer service from
ments that benefit the majority.
The team embraced this complexity,
mix design to field support.
quickly identifying issues, coming to
a consensus internally on a solution, CTScement.com  800.929.3030
communicating these issues to the

MAY/JUNE 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 23

BRIDGE REHABILITATION
A team rehabilitates the deck on the Delaware Memorial Bridge. CREDIT: CHRYSO & GCP
ULTRA-HIGH PERFORMANCE
CONCRETE INNOVATIONS
Delaware Memorial Bridge project is completed in record time with less CO2
By Lisa Barnard, Contributing Author
IN NOVEMBER OF 2023, a massive deck rehabilitation
project on the Delaware Memorial Bridge was completed.
Each 2 miles in length, the Delaware Memorial Bridge is a
pair of twin suspension bridges that span the Delaware River,
connecting Delaware and New Jersey.
These massive toll bridges have been vital transportation
links for the region since they opened in 1951 and 1968.
However, it was determined that a major deck rehabilitation
was needed on the northbound bridge to prolong the service
life of the existing deck. The two-year, three-phase rehabilitation
project kicked off in September 2022, after a successful pilot
installation was performed in 2020.
With over 80,000 vehicles crossing it daily, there were
immense challenges to executing a major rehabilitation. The
most notable challenge: the disruption to traffic and the impact
it would have on the travelers and the toll collections.
The construction work could only be performed during
specific timeframes when traffic volumes were relatively low.
Within these tight time windows, a new durable, high perform-
ing deck needed to be installed without adding more weight to
the structure.
24 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
The Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) considered
several options to repair or replace the existing bridge deck.
After a life-cycle cost analysis, the owner determined that using
Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) was the right choice
for the project.
UHPC is an exceptionally strong and durable concrete mate-
rial that often includes a large amount of fiber reinforcement
and super-plasticizing agents.
The UHPC would be installed as a new overlay system along
the length of the bridge to protect and structurally strengthen
the existing bridge deck. This solution could be installed in much
less time and at a significantly reduced cost compared to more
significant repair techniques (e.g., full-depth deck replacement).
Compared to a more traditional concrete overlay, a thinner
layer of UHPC is needed. This minimizes additional weight to
the structure and provides durability lasting 50 years or more.
In September 2023, the third and final phase of the rehabili-
tation project began. Crews removed 2-3 inches of deteriorated
concrete from the existing deck surface of the two northbound
right lanes on the New Jersey side, and then replaced it with an
equivalent thickness of UHPC.
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More than 5,000 cubic yards of Ultra-
High Performance Concrete (UHPC) was
installed on this project. The UHPC was
placed using a specialty paver designed
by the contractor, and later it was
diamond ground and grooved.
CREDIT: CHRYSO & GCP
In partnership with UHPC Solutions (the general contractor)
and Ductal (the UHPC material supplier), the technical team
identified the best admixtures for the intended application, such
as high-range water reducers.
This allows for less batch water to be used in the UHPC
mixture, producing concrete that is stronger than traditional
bridge deck concrete.
Additionally, the admixtures facilitated a concrete consis-
tency that the contractor could pave in a downhill direction,
which is not typically done in concrete paving. This allowed
the contractor to condense their construction schedule, saving
them time and money.
More than 5,000 cubic yards of UHPC was installed on this
project. The UHPC was placed using a specialty paver designed
by the contractor, and later it was diamond ground and grooved
to ensure a smooth riding surface.
Steve Williams, Saint-Gobain Construction Chemicals North
America president, said that UHPC is a key component in the
sustainability goals of the construction industry because it
provides greater strength with less material needed and longer
service life.
26 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
“The use of UHPC on the Delaware Memorial Bridge deck
rehabilitation project was the perfect fit, offering speed and
light-weight durability,” Williams said.
The UHPC overlay installation shaved two weeks from the
11-week Phase 3 construction window. The enhanced perfor-
mance of the new UHPC equates to less overall concrete used,
which further reduces the project’s CO2 impact.
Gil Brindley, UHPC Solutions North America director, said this
project was the first of its kind in the country.
“It is the first suspension bridge to have a UHPC overlay,
the largest UHPC project in the U.S., and broke records for
UHPC placed in a single day,” Brindley said. “The success of
the project is due to the partnership of all those involved. From
the owner and designer, material suppliers and subcontractors,
to the workforce that performed the work, everyone played an
important role and worked collaboratively to make this project
a reality.”
Lisa Barnard, LEED AP, WELL AP, is CHRYSO & GCP’s sustainability and
customer engagement program manager.
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BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
TRANSFORMING
CHARLESTON
An innovative THE LINK BETWEEN a city’s economic
growth and the state of its transportation
bridge should systems is undeniable.
improve Heavy civil engineers don’t just design
critical infrastructure. They also create oppor-
pedestrian tunities, enhance connectivity, and improve
safety access to employment, educational institutions,
healthcare services, and recreational facilities.
Bridges, roadways, and cycling and pedes-
By Richard Kirkman,
trian paths stimulate an area’s economy and are
Contributing Author
indicative of its growth. They can either support
further development or hinder it.
The Ashley River Crossing in Charleston,
S.C. aims to address the city’s evolving needs
and provide residents with a safe and reliable
connection between West Ashley and down-
town Charleston.
Designed to be the country’s first cable-
stayed movable pedestrian structure, the
crossing’s aesthetics and engineering ingenuity
are as paramount as its purpose. The design of
the 4,100-foot-long bridge contains a 204-foot
center moveable span that swings outward to
allow marine traffic to pass.
The Ashley River Crossing will be Superior Construction Company Southeast
the first cable-stayed movable
pedestrian bridge in the country
will lead as design-construction manager, with
CREDIT: SUPERIOR CONSTRUCTION Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson (JMT) leading
28 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
the design. JMT will collaborate with COWI
and TranSystems as specialty subconsultants.
SAFETY CHALLENGES
The Ashley River Crossing will address the
ongoing safety concerns pedestrians have
experienced over the past few years.
Funding comes from the city of Charleston,
Charleston County, Medical University of
South Carolina (MUSC), the South Carolina
Department of Transportation, and the Federal
Highway Administration.
“The existing bridges and roads do not
have sidewalks that meet current standards for
people to ride their bike or walk safely,” said
Jim O’Connor, JMT vice president and lead
design engineer for the project.
Pedestrians traveling on U.S. Route 17
between West Ashley and downtown must
cross the Ashley River on two parallel bridges
with narrow sidewalks.
More than 63,000 cars cross these
shared-use bridges daily. The high traf-
fic volume resulted in over 100 bike- and
pedestrian-related crashes between 2014 and
2019 — necessitating alternate transportation
infrastructure for pedestrians.
#wrmeadows
BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
“Providing safe, connected, equitable and enjoyable
ways for Charlestonians to walk and bicycle will both save
lives and improve quality of life, especially because our
region consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous for
non-motorized travelers,” said Katie Zimmerman, executive
director of Charleston Moves, a local nonprofit organization
that encourages multimodal transportation.
Superior and JMT developed a preliminary design for the
pedestrian bridge that will separate foot and car traffic and
mirror the functionality of the existing adjacent highway bridge.
FUNCTIONALITY MEETS AESTHETICS
Charleston’s original request for qualifications (RFQ) stated
one of its top goals was that the new design be iconic and
aesthetically pleasing, which contributed to the owner
opting for a cable-stayed movable structure.
“There are other movable vehicular bridges in the
country. There are also stationary, long-span cable-stayed
bridges, but we don’t know of any other bridge in the
U.S. that combines all these complex elements,” said
O’Connor. “We looked to similar European bridges as the
basis of our design. That’s where we found examples of
similar bridges by COWI and brought them into the cable
stayed span design.”
One of the team’s primary proposed innovations is the use
of a slewing ring, which will make the bridge more compact,
efficient, and easier to construct. A slewing ring configuration
allows for the pre-assembly of mechanical components and
the structure towers. It also enables erection as a single unit
30 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
The Ashley River Crossing’s hydraulic swing span components will allow the
bridge to open horizontally rather than vertically, improving marine clearance
CREDIT: SUPERIOR CONSTRUCTION
to greatly reduce on-site and over-water assembly time. This
eliminates the use of balance wheels and center wedges and
the need to install and precisely align open gearing.
An iconic steel V-shaped tower will provide a bold
architectural statement. Its outward-leaning stay cable plane
addresses the city’s concern about any ice on the cables
falling onto the pedestrian path below.
DELIVERY AND APPROACH
The project team will construct the Ashley River Crossing
using a segmental approach. The five geographic segments
span from West Ashley to the east end of the project limits at
Lockwood Drive.
Segment three comprises the movable swing span and piers
and will be constructed concurrently with segments two and
four. This allows ample time for the design, procurement, instal-
lation, and testing of all mechanical, electrical, and structural
swing span components.
“The first bridge work Superior will perform will be installing
the fender system extension to protect the new swing span
construction and enhance the overall marine safety for the
boating public and our workers,” said Brian Tolbert, project
director at Superior Construction. “We also plan to build the
swing span bridge in the open position to minimize marine
traffic impacts.”
MOVABLE BRIDGE OPERATIONS
After completing the approach span foundation work, power
and control conduits will be connected to the new main span by
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BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
To enhance connectivity between
downtown Charleston and West
Ashley, Superior and its design
partner, Johnson, Mirmiran &
Thompson, Inc. (JMT), developed
a preliminary design for the
pedestrian bridge that will mirror
the functionality of the existing
adjacent highway bridge
CREDIT: SUPERIOR CONSTRUCTION
the fourth quarter of 2025. The new movable bridge operation
will be tied into the existing movable bridge operations by the
third quarter of 2026.
The project team will isolate the swing span operation during
construction to prevent any premature operational activity from
the existing operator’s house.
The functioning span will come online once the required
testing cycle is run from the pivot pier controls. The operator’s
vision views are acceptable between the tender’s direct sight
and the camera views.
The existing controls will remain largely untouched, except
for the installation of the proposed interlocks, to prioritize
movable span operation and its associated bypasses. The new
movable span will be controlled by a touchscreen display and
discrete pushbuttons for the gates.
Tolbert said that the work also includes a trailhead with
benches, water stations, and bike repair stations.
TIMESAVING SOLUTIONS
The project team is working to achieve substantial comple-
tion ahead of the owner-approved contract time of 1,277
calendar days.
To accomplish this, they proposed constructing the West
Ashley approach as a boardwalk structure, significantly reduc-
ing the construction duration by avoiding delays associated with
relocating overhead utility lines.
The proposed solution also minimizes the risk associated
with constructing an on-grade pathway adjacent to U.S.
Route 17.
By utilizing longer approach spans in segments two and four,
the team also reduced the number of foundations they would
need to build in the river.
Opting for prefabricated items — like segment caps, prefab
cap forms for cast-in-place concrete and tying steel cages
off-site — will also accelerate construction.
The project team is working with the United States Army
Corps of Engineers and the South Carolina Department of
32 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
Health and Environmental Control to reduce any environmen-
tal impacts associated with construction activities within the
salt marsh.
PROJECT TIMELINE
The team received a project award in September 2023 and
held a groundbreaking ceremony a month later. Charleston
Mayor John Tecklenburg attended the event, as well as city
council members and community advocates like Zimmerman of
the Charleston Moves nonprofit.
“Thousands of community members, including officials
from multiple levels of government, worked together for
many years to bring this project to fruition because they
recognize the Ashley River Crossing will transform our
region,” Zimmerman said.
David Cole, the MUSC President also attended the ground-
breaking ceremony, demonstrating his support for the project,
which will serve as a recreational facility and a valuable trans-
portation link for MUSC commuters. Construction is estimated
to begin by the end of 2024, with expected completion in 2027.
DESIGNING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
The Ashley River Crossing has the potential to transform
Charleston’s bustling urban landscape. By prioritizing transpor-
tation upgrades, cities can create more accessible and resilient
urban environments for everyone.
Zimmerman said this is a critical step in creating safer and
affordable access to amenities everyone needs.
“The Ashley River Crossing will bridge a major gap in
equitable mobility that the community has advocated to fix for
decades,” Zimmerman said.
Richard Kirkman, P.E., is Superior’s division manager for
the Carolinas Region. You can reach him at RKirkman@
superiorconstruction.com.
 (Image courtesy of Amtrak & NJ Transit)

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BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
A reverse tied arch structure was developed to give
the bridge a soft “S” curve, which reduces the skew
at the piers. CREDIT: HNTB.
TEXAS S-CURVE
A one-of-a-kind, network tied arch bridge connects trails in Dallas
By Suze Parker, Contributing Author
INSTALLED IN A SINGLE NIGHT, the
Northaven Trail Bridge links several bike
and pedestrian trails above U.S. Route
75, an eight-lane highway in north Dallas.
The project provides a safe crossing
for users, extends recreational opportu-
nities and expands access to alternative
modes of transportation.
Before the bridge opened in
November 2023, the popular Northaven
Trail on the west side of U.S. Route 75,
as well as the Cottonwood Creek and
White Rock Creek trails on the east side,
essentially terminated at the roadway.
To cross one of the busiest highways
in Texas and access the trails on either
side, cyclists and pedestrians had to use
a poorly lit and often muddy underpass.
The Texas Department of
Transportation (TxDOT) called the bridge
“a regional example of the positive
benefits of appropriate location and
design aesthetics for future bicycle and
pedestrian trails and amenities.”
The bridge also links to the DART
Light Rail Station at Forest Lane. Where
34 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
challenges existed before, now stands a
beacon to alternative transportation.
A COMMUNITY’S VISION
COMES ALIVE
Lee Kleinman, a former Dallas city
council member, proposed the idea for
a pedestrian bridge over the highway in
the early 2000s.
The Dallas Parks and Recreation
Department, the Friends of Northaven
Trail group and others joined the council
member in championing the project.
TxDOT engaged HNTB to serve
as conceptual designer, engineer of
record and construction phase services
provider on the project. During design,
joint venture partners also included Halff
Associates, Inc. and EJES, Inc.
The project entailed a large public
outreach effort to stakeholders, includ-
ing trail users and communities and
organizations located near the trails, to
gather input on the community’s needs
and wants. That public engagement work
began to inform geometry of the trail
bridge and how it needed to function.
When Kleinman proposed the
pedestrian bridge, he was inspired by
the idea of representing a bicycle wheel
in its design. The original network tied
arch concept for the main span was
developed in 2017 by HNTB to reflect
stakeholder feedback. Collaboration
between TxDOT, HNTB, NCTCOG, the
city of Dallas, Dallas County and the
Friends of Northaven Trail made the
project a reality.
The network cable arrangement, a
term used when the cables cross one
another more than once, also reduces
bending in the arch and deck, allowing
each to be thin while still being resilient
to accidental overloads.
In this case, the Northaven Trail
Bridge uses 64 cables— 32 per side.
This design is also reminiscent of the
spokes on a bike’s wheel.
“It’s surprising how much the final
design adhered to some of the early
sketches and modeling concepts devel-
oped from conversations with the city of
 BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION

Dallas and other stakeholders,” said Tom
Kramer, HNTB project manager. “Often,
an early concept and what is ultimately
built are quite different. In this case, we
developed a unique initial concept and
saw it all the way through.”
ONE-OF-A-KIND
The site designated for the Northaven
Trail Bridge has a unique geometry that
required the bridge to be built at an
angle across the eight mainlanes and
four frontage road lanes of U.S. 75.
final location on self-propelled modular
transporters (SPMTs). The bridge was
constructed on timber shoring in the
parking lot of a nearby furniture store.
“An accurate design was provided
for the project in order for us to safely
construct it with minimal change orders or
plan revisions,” said TxDOT Dallas County
engineer Nathan Petter. “Because this
was such a unique bridge, challenges
came up that we had to work through
during construction. We were able to find
solutions every step of the way.”
Larson said that communication was
crucial to the project because of the
structure’s complexity.
“When changes needed to be made
at the construction site, the team would
quickly collaborate to find solutions,”
Larson said.

HOT POUR
A reverse tied arch structure was
developed to give the bridge a soft,
reverse “S” curve, which reduces the
skew at the piers. As typical of tied

CRACK
arches, the bridge deck ties the ends of
the arch ribs together, like the string in
an archery bow.
“However, in the Northaven Trail

FILLING
Bridge, we see an S-curve geometry,”
said Kira Larson, HNTB project manager
of construction phase services. “Within

SOLUTIONS.
that S-curve are straight post-tensioning
strands running through the deck, acting
as the tie. It’s a highly innovative way
our design team created this signature
project for TxDOT.”
The structure is the only known
network tied arch bridge in the world
with a doubly curved tie. The bridge also
has skewed ends, making it an incredibly
complex structure not seen anywhere else.
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Those requirements drove early
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BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
When COVID-related supply chain issues delayed material
deliveries, recommendations were made that reduced fabrica-
tion lead times. In the case of cable adjustments, turnbuckles
were selected that allowed cable tension to be adjusted in a
few turns without the cable being disconnected every time a
tension change is needed.
AN OVERNIGHT BRIDGE SHIFT
Moving the entire bridge into place with SPMTs was a first for
TxDOT’s Dallas district. On a September night, team members
stood side-by-side on U.S. 75 watching the 201-foot-long,
800,000-pound Northaven Trail Bridge with its 50-foot-tall arch
be driven into place over the highway. SPMTs shouldered the
structure at its bearing locations and lifting gantries moved the
bridge into place. The installation procedure included:
• Gantries are erected on either side of the piers along U.S.
75, with gaps left for the SPMTs.
• SPMTs lift the bridge from where it was constructed to the
highway, adjacent to the piers.
• Gantries lift the bridge off the SPMTs.
• SPMTs are removed from under the bridge.
• Gantry track is pinned and completed.
• Gantries roll the bridge south to hover above the piers.
• Bridge is lowered onto its final bearings.
• Installation equipment is removed.
Moving the bridge took about 20 hours but required only
about 14 hours of full closures on the mainlane, Petter said.
During that time, traffic was diverted to the adjacent frontage
road, leaving a lane of traffic always open to drivers. After the
bridge was installed, final tie-ins were completed before the
span opened to the public.
STRIKING ARCHITECTURE, HEAVY USE
DEMONSTRATE PROJECT SUCCESS
With a structural weight of 800,000 pounds, the Northaven Trail
Bridge is designed to withstand a pedestrian load of approxi-
mately one person per square foot of bridge deck, or approxi-
mately 445,000 pounds. The bridge’s cable arrangement was
designed to increase the structure’s stiffness by a factor of 10,
making it incredibly resilient to accidental overloads.
TxDOT created parking on the west side of the bridge for
anyone who wants to drive to the site and use the spot as a
trailhead. Because the bridge’s arch is its most identifiable
feature, it has become a landmark that serves as a gateway into
north Dallas. Feedback reveals that the public is in awe of the
benefits it has already brought to the community.
Suze Parker is a public relations consultant and writer who frequently
writes about roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects.
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TECHNOLOGY

FAST TIMES IN
CINCINNATI
Innovative IN CINCINNATI, INTERSTATE 75 was a way to
get downtown for work or a Bengals game. It also
emphasized maintaining traffic as much as
possible throughout construction without limiting
thinking was a headache with increased congestion, long lane closures and restrictions.
fueled this delays, and accidents that could back up traffic at
peak times.
“We had really good collaboration with ODOT,
really good collaboration with Walsh, and we
interstate In 2010, the Ohio Department of Transportation were able to develop a really good maintenance-
project (ODOT) began widening and resurfacing more
than 8 miles of the interstate, including extensive
of-traffic (MOT) plan,” said Mike Raubenolt, the
lead road design project manager at American
safety improvements at major interchanges along Structurepoint. “The entire team was focused on
By Matt Werner,
the way. designing and building a safe environment for the
Contributing Author
One of the most critical phases of the project construction workers and people driving.”
involved the interchange with Interstate 74. Raubenolt said they were able to phase
Lead designer American Structurepoint joined construction and complete a lot of work at night to
An aerial view of
Interstate-75 in Cincinnati.
forces with Walsh Construction Company’s help minimize the impact on travelers.
Walsh Construction and design-build team to complete the project. The project was near CSX Queensgate Depot,
American Structurepoint With two major interstates, major rehabilita- the largest railyard in Cincinnati, and this chal-
joined forces to complete the tion of existing bridges, and railroad tracks lenged the MOT design plan because the crew
project in the busy corridor. nearby, collaboration was essential. And since had to make certain that the train traffic wasn’t
CREDIT: AMERICAN
STRUCTUREPOINT the area was already prone to delays, the team negatively impacted.

38 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024


“It was a major system-to-system interchange, and we
were able to maintain the flow of traffic at all times,” Raubenolt
said. “We were working in a pretty tight environment, and the
entire team was always looking for a better solution, a safer
solution, and a more efficient solution. We had a very active rail
line next to the site, and we were able to maintain their traffic
throughout as well.”
When new bridge structures were placed, temporary lane
restrictions went into effect. When larger flyover beams were
placed, the work was completed at night so it wouldn’t limit
traffic flow.
Joel Halterman, program manager at Walsh Construction,
pointed to the extensive effort by the design-build team to
create a safe working environment while maintaining traffic.
“There were some areas where, quite frankly, we didn’t
have space to maintain lanes and get into the work zones,”
Halterman said. “By doing that work at night, you are able
to do some short-term restrictions to allow the construction
crew access to the work zone. We did everything we could to
minimize those impacts.”
To maximize ODOT’s funding, the team also reused existing
materials, including steel from a bridge dating to 1973. The team
salvaged the existing structural steel, saving ODOT millions.
The team worked together to remove the existing deck
TECHNOLOGY
and tie the new ramp into the existing bridge, despite a new
ramp profile.
“We had large fillets to build that bridge because the
existing steel was staying at the same location, but the deck
was changing,” Halterman said. “It was pretty innovative and
had a high technical design, but we were able to save ODOT
quite a bit of money.”
As construction began on the I-75 bridge over I-74, the team
encountered another challenge that required close collabora-
tion and innovative thinking.
“With rock much shallower than we thought and existing
foundation conflicts that were not anticipated, we had to adjust
pile locations and depths, as well as revise installation meth-
odology during construction,” said Chris Bettinger, the bridge
lead at American Structurepoint. “We worked closely with Walsh
[Construction] to come up with the most effective and efficient
design including eliminating pile encasements where possible
to accommodate these obstacles.”
An enhanced stormwater management system also was
added during construction, creating another challenge to an
already complex project.
“When you look at the map of this area, it’s essentially the
project, a railroad, and then the Mill Creek,” Raubenolt said.
“Given that challenge, we had to jack and bore pipe to go
TECHNOLOGY

The design-build team of Walsh Construction and American Structurepoint

maintained traffic flow as their team worked on the project.
CREDIT: AMERICAN STRUCTUREPOINT

underneath the railroad and create a new outfall into the river.”
Thanks to the close collaboration between the design-build
team and the client, the project has been successful.
“This was a very challenging project that had a little bit of
everything,” Halterman said. “We ran into challenges along the
way, but we had an exceptional design team to help us quickly
find innovative solutions.”
Since opening to traffic last year, commuters experience less
congestion and better traffic flow.
“Being able to do everything that we did under traffic condi-
tions highlights the collaboration of the entire team,” Raubenolt
said. “The adaptability of the design team and contractor to
develop better and safer solutions, even during construction,
was something that led to this project being delivered on time
and under budget.”

Matt Werner is the public relations and communications writer for

American Structurepoint, an architecture and engineering firm.

40 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024

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EQUIPMENT
GRINDING
& GROOVING
MACHINES
How to improve bridge deck safety By Jessica Porter, Contributing Author
BRIDGE DECKS ARE most slippery and prone to accidents
during spring rains and winter weather. To increase safety, state
departments of transportation increasingly require diamond
grinding and grooving to be performed on bridge decks.
Diamond grooving channels water from the pavement
surface to increase traction, reduce hydroplaning, and minimize
splash and spray–increasing braking traction in wet, dangerous
weather. Diamond grinding removes a thin layer of concrete to
provide drainage, as well as reduce noise and improve smooth-
ness, according to the International Grooving and Grinding
Association (IGGA).
Both techniques have proven impacts on safety. In fact,
the California Department of Transportation found longitudinal
grooving resulted in a nearly 70% decrease in accident rates.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation found the overall
42 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
accident rate for diamond-ground surfaces was only 60% of the
rate for unground surfaces and experienced reduced accident
rates up to six years after grinding.
“Not only does grinding improve the smoothness of surface
texture, it also reduces the bumps and structural failures that
may result in potholes and can cause vehicles to lose control,”
said IGGA’s Director of Technical Services Nick Davis. “Grooving
adds further macro texture that mitigates the dangers of black
ice and hydroplaning.”
Because they inevitably experience slight movement,
bridge decks are particularly susceptible to uneven surfaces
that can lead drivers to lose control. Expansion joints that
connect the pavement typically are installed to accommodate
that movement.
“Bridges move even though they’re not supposed to, so
they add expansion joints to accommodate that movement. The
sizes vary; we’ve worked on bridge decks where the joints are
23-feet wide,” said Scott Eilken, owner of Quality Saw & Seal.
“Whether the joints are at the end or middle of a bridge, you try
to gain smoothness over them.”
Many states now require diamond grooving on bridge decks
to help make the pavement smoother. Though it’s been slower
to catch on, states are beginning to recognize the value of
grinding on bridge decks as well. When performed together,
diamond grinding and grooving can significantly improve the
driver experience on bridge decks.
THE GROOVING AND GRINDING PROCESS
The grooving and grinding processes are completed using the
same equipment, but with alterations like the diamond-tipped
saw blades being placed at different increments.
Grinding leverages diamond-tipped saw blades that rotate on a 50-inch-wide
shaft. CREDIT: IGGA.
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EQUIPMENT
Grinding and grooving machines
involve complicated systems of
parts that can take years to learn
how to operate and maintain
correctly. CREDIT: IGGA
When performing grooving, the machines use diamond-
tipped saw blades that are mounted and spaced on a horizontal
shaft to saw into the pavement surface. The saw blades are
consistently cooled by water pumped from a tanker. Grooving
machines typically cut transverse or longitudinal grooves that
are 1/8-inch to 3/16-inch deep and approximately 1/8-inch wide,
with spacing 3/4-inch center-to-center, according to IGGA.
When performing grinding, the machines use a series of
closely spaced diamond-tipped saw blades mounted on a
rotating shaft that’s typically 50-inches wide to remove approxi-
mately 1/4-inch of pavement. The saw blades use abrasion to
gently remove the surface layer without micro-cracking the
aggregates. On bridge decks, in particular, grinding typically is
performed longitudinally over the length of the bridge–including
expansion joints–and full deck width, extending to within 2 feet
of the parapets, according to IGGA.
Contractors like Quality Saw & Seal, Inc., based in
Bridgeview, Ill., specialize in grinding and grooving on bridge
decks with several different pavements, including concrete,
latex overlay and modified wearing surfaces. Quality Saw & Seal
works with manufacturers to determine the right products for
each project’s unique specifications.
To complete each job successfully, the contractor must be
intimately familiar with grinding and grooving machines, which
involve complicated systems of parts to perform and can take
years to learn how to operate and maintain correctly. Proper
operation and maintenance are paramount to performing jobs
as specified.
“Grinders and groovers have differences like the match
wheels, vacuum systems, blower systems, and bearings around
the diamond head on the machine. Match wheels make critical
44 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
passes on decks and bearings can’t have issues because the
head needs to stay level on the surface. These are all criti-
cal components,” Eilken said. “So these machines require a
tremendous amount of maintenance.”
Eilken, who has been in the industry for more than 40 years,
has a staff of equipment operators at Quality Saw & Seal whose
roles are to run and maintain the machines.
Operators work with the mechanic staff to ensure mainte-
nance occurs as needed, monitoring work like oil changes,
changing vacuum diagrams and maintaining match wheels. By
requiring the operators to be responsible for maintenance, the
machines are monitored for routine upkeep and unexpected
repairs every day.
To find operators who are up to the task, Quality Saw &
Seal relies on its union ties. Once an operator is hired, they are
trained on how to run the machines, as well as how to handle
the uniqueness of every jobsite, which can take years.
“Training involves learning how to deal with all scenarios
on a jobsite. All jobs are different; the width and length of the
decks, the expansion joints and the project location–each
one is different,” Eilken said. “So jobsite scenario training is
quite extensive.”
Performing diamond grinding and grooving are effective
ways for states to repair bridge decks to increase safety and
smoothness, improving the overall driver experience and
decreasing accidents during slippery weather conditions.
Jessica Porter is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in construc-
tion. Contact her at porterjl2@gmail.com and visit her website at www.
JessicaLynnePorter.com.
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BETTER KNOW A CONTRACTOR

FROM GRAIN BINS

TO HIGHWAYS
This family-owned company has evolved into an industry leader
By Harlee Hewitt, Associate Editor

IN THE FIRST EDITION of an ongoing Tim Duit, who was elected chair of the airports, and rail companies. The com-
series, we examine a contracting American Road and Transportation pany also mines sand and gravel, and
company that has made a significant Builders Association (ARTBA) in crushes recycled concrete and asphalt to
contribution to the roads and bridges September. be used on construction projects.
construction industry. Based in Edmond, Okla., Duit As successful as the company has
When looking for a contracting Construction is a family-owned business become since its inception in 1969,
company to launch this series, Duit that has grown to work on road, bridge, it started with a grassroots effort by
Construction Company, Inc., caught and underground construction for the founder James “Jim” Duit, Tim Duit’s
our attention because of its president, federal government, cities, counties, father. Back then, the company built

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“Currently, our bridge company is
working on rebuilding the largest
bridge on Route 66 in Oklahoma.”
– Tim Duit
round grain bin foundations in Iowa
Falls, Iowa.
“We’d go around the country, and
around the state of Iowa building these
round concrete grain bin foundations
for a few years,” Jim Duit said. “At
the same time, I was working my way
through college.”
As the company evolved, it began
building sidewalks, curbs, and gutter
driveways.
“And then followed the normal
progression to the streets and high-
ways and airports and interstates.” said
Jim Duit.
The company has grown steadily to
more than 600 employees, with that
number sometimes rising to 800 based
on the enormity of projects being
carried out.
Tim Duit has been a catalyst for
this growth. He has worked with the
company in some capacity since he
was in college. After he graduated, he
took over TTK Construction, which was
“more of a holding company” that “was
created for our education,” he said.
Tim Duit used TTK Construction to
learn how to “do it on my own, but still
be able to get some help whenever I
needed it.”
In 2017, TTK Construction merged
with Duit Construction.
“We grew a lot through the merging
and acquisitions of a few bridge and
asphalt companies,” Tim Duit said.
“Aside from that, I think we’ve grown
through the size of the projects.”
Like many family businesses in the
construction industry, Duit Construction
focuses on quality and employee
development.
“We also place focus on retaining
young people,” said Jim Duit. “At last
count we had people that have been
Count on Us!
with us five years or longer, and we
had over 4,000 years of experience
in our current employee roster. I
think that speaks very highly of Tim’s
leadership. Focusing on people is
always the answer.”
Duit Construction has an impres-
sive portfolio of work in Oklahoma.
Highlights include two of the Oklahoma
Department of Transportation’s (ODOT)
largest projects to date. Ernie@FastMeasure.com
“Our 4-mile construction project
in Calera, Oklahoma was the largest www.FastMeasure.com
ODOT project in their history — com-
pleted with an early completion bonus,”
888-876-6050
Enter code # R&B 5-24
said Tim Duit. “Also, the Gilcrease
Expressway is the largest project the
state’s ever done and we’ve completed
that project. Those are two big different
types of jobs we’re really proud of.
Currently, our bridge company is work-
Give Us a Call! 866-643-8303
ing on rebuilding the largest bridge on
Route 66 in Oklahoma. So, I think we’ve
historically done a lot of major projects • Underbridge Trucks (UBIU)
in the state.” • Work Zone Equipment
Looking ahead, the company • Man Lifts
leaders are looking forward to pursuing
• Flagging
other avenues for growth.
“I think we’re really looking forward • Bucket Trucks
to seeing how all the IIJA money plays • Rigging Services
out,” said Tim Duit. “Let’s see how that • Traffic Control
comes, how that affects the market
here in Oklahoma, and what we might 2503 Broadhead Road, Aliquippa, PA 15001
be able to do with it.” 169 Callender Road, Watertown, CT 06795
Jim Duit added that he was excited 1725B Piney Creek Road, Chester, MD 21619
to see his son as chairman of ARTBA.
“That has been a great honor for our Always Safe.
company, and I look forward to seeing Always Available.
where it may lead him,” he said.
If you would like to suggest a contracting
company to be featured in Better Know
A Contractor, email Harlee Hewitt at
hhewitt@endeavorb2b.com. Always Accessible.
MAY/JUNE 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 47
PRODUCTS & SERVICES

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ROADS REPORT
Don’t Be Afraid
Except about bridges, crazy drivers, or cars with no drivers
EVER BEEN STARTLED by a souped-up engine
or loud muffler and wondered what kind of person
would make their car that loud?
David Matthews Thanks to Canadian psychology professor Julie
has been chronicling Aitken Schermer, now we know: a sadistic psychopath.
the unexpectedly
humorous side of
“As these exhaust modifications are both a
transportation news disturbance to people and animals and are illegal in
since 2000. The some jurisdictions… understanding who wants their
stories are all true.
vehicle to be loud is an interesting research ques-
tion,” Schermer wrote in Psychology Today in May.
In order to uncover a correlation between per-
sonality traits and a penchant for attention-grabbing
vehicles, Schermer surveyed 529 business students
about their attitudes toward loud cars, their identifi-
cation with their own vehicles, and their willingness
to modify their mufflers.
Participants were also asked to complete a
questionnaire designed to assess dark personality
traits like self-centeredness, callousness, and deriv-
ing pleasure from others’ suffering.
The results of the study revealed that drivers
who exhibited signs of sadism and psychopathy
were also the drivers most likely to make their car
uncomfortably loud.
“It seems to be this callous disregard for other
people’s feelings and their reactions. That’s the
psychopathy coming out, and it’s also they probably
get a kick out of enjoying watching people get
startled,” Schermer told the CBC.
Schermer admits that not every driver who loves
a loud car is a future criminal, but there are some
definite similarities.
“The personality profile I found with loud mufflers
is also the same personality profile of people who
illegally commit arson,” she said.
OFF TO THE RACES
A recent AAA study found that 66% of drivers are
“afraid” of self-driving cars, while an additional 24%
say they are uncertain about the technology.
The results of the first race of the world’s first
four-car autonomous circuit race won’t help ease
those fears.
During qualifying time trials at the Abu Dhabi
Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) in April, the
Formula 1 AI racers randomly spun out, pulled off
the track for no apparent reason, or just turned
right into a wall.
50 ROADS&BRIDGES / MAY/JUNE 2024
During the fourth lap of the actual race, the lead
car spun out and event officials threw up a yellow
caution flag to warn other vehicles about a hazard
on the track. This caused two vehicles to come to
a stop behind the spun-out car because they had
been programmed not to pass another vehicle
during a caution lap.
In the end, all four vehicles managed to finish the
race in about an hour, which is only half the time that
a typical Formula One Grand Prix takes. Of course,
those races consist of about 50 laps around the
track, and the AI racers only did eight.
BRIDGE OF FEARS
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland is an
engineering marvel. Made of 126,000 tons of steel
and 286,000 cubic yards of concrete, the 4.3-mile
bridge was the world’s longest continuous steel
structure over water when it opened in 1952.
It is also routinely rated as one of the most terrify-
ing bridges in the world.
What’s so scary about driving across the Bay
Bridge? For starters, the ascent to the bridge’s
highest point 200 feet above water includes a curve
that creates the illusion that you’re about to drive off
the side of the bridge.
If you have a fear of heights, you’ll hate the low
barriers along the side of the bridge that offer a
clear view of the water below.
Inclement weather can add a unique twist,
particularly when storms or fog reduce visibility to
the point where no land is visible.
And if the whole experience becomes too much
and you need to pull off to the side of the road to
collect yourself, well, you can’t because there are no
shoulders.
All of these fears are enough for some drivers
to opt for a drive-over service, paying up to $40 to
have someone else drive them and their vehicle
over the bridge.
“I’ve had people request to ride in the trunk
before,” Brittney Manzoni, a drive-over service
provider for Kent Island Express, told the BBC.
“Obviously we can’t allow you to ride in the trunk,
we’ll just have you lie down in the back seat and
cover up, or just put your head down in the front,
cover you face if you need to, and we talk you
through it.”
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 TAKE MOUNTAINS, MAKE RUBBLE.
BLASTS BEFORE BREAKFAST.
LOADERS HAULING TONS. FEED
YOUR KLEEMANN BECAUSE IT’S
HUNGRY. HAUL TONS AGAIN. STRIP
OVERBURDEN. EXCAVATORS
CALLING SHOTS. ADTS ON THE
MOVE. OPS REPORTING STATS.
NO TIME FOR DOWNTIME. GET THE
GRAVEL GONE. CRUSH SOME MORE
WHERE THAT CAME FROM. MOVE IT
BEFORE THE SUN CALLS IT QUITS.

DEERE.COM/MOVEROCK