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Representatives from Larson Design Group (LDG) and Columbia County recently celebrated the reopening of a county-owned bridge that had significantly deteriorated after years of use.
LDG’s Bridge Safety Inspection and Maintenance team provided design and construction engineering services for the Columbia County Bridge No. 154 superstructure replacement. The previous superstructure was constructed in 1984 and was in serious condition, which reduced the inspection frequency from every 24 months to every three months and reduce its weight limit to 20 tons. The reduction in weight limit was especially problematic for making deliveries to the Sugarloaf Township building, which is located on the south side of the bridge. The old bridge superstructure was eventually taken out of service in July of this year.
One of the challenges that LDG engineers faced was keeping the depth of the proposed superstructure similar to the previous one, so that the original hydraulic opening could be maintained, and the new bridge deck would seamlessly tie into the existing approach roadways. At the same time, the number of beams was reduced from seven to five. This was not an easy task for a bridge with a clear span of over 113 feet. The existing abutments were retained and modified to accept the new superstructure. Minor approach roadway work was also completed as part of this project, including the installation of current standard guide rail.
“This was a great project for Sugarloaf Township,” said Commissioner Chris Young. “We were aware of the problems with the previous bridge, and we are glad to see it replaced on-budget, thanks to the right partners for the project.”
“I would like to thank the County for all of the cooperation and timely communication from LDG,” said Mark Young of Young, Inc. which served as construction contractor. “Overall, this was a great project and well designed.”
“The construction of No. 154 was seamless from start to finish,” said Kurt Brungard, PE, LDG Director of Bridge Inspection & Maintenance. “RC Young provided Columbia County with a very well-constructed bridge and the Commissioners have removed another structurally deficient bridge from their bridge inventory.”
Founded in 1986, Larson Design Group is an award-winning, 100 percent employee-owned national architecture, engineering and planning firm with 13 offices in five states and a vision to elevate client relationships, enrich the careers and lives of its employee-owners, and enhance the communities in which it operates. For more information, visit www.larsondesigngroup.com.