West Ohio Street Bridge Replacement Construction Inspection

🏆2022 American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE) Outstanding Highway Engineering Award

Larson Design Group (LDG) provided construction inspection services for the replacement of the West Ohio Street Bridge in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhood. The project replaced the existing two-lane structure spanning Norfolk Southern railroad tracks with a new 67-foot, single-span plate girder bridge constructed on the existing abutments.

The scope included removal of the existing bridge superstructure and the upper portions of the abutments, construction of new beam seats, and installation of the new superstructure. Improvements also encompassed 966 linear feet of approach roadway reconstruction, as well as signing, lighting, decorative fencing, and installation of electrical, gas, and communications utilities. The project also included demolition of the nearby Ridge Place Bridge, which had previously been closed to traffic.

LDG’s construction inspection services ensured compliance with contract documents and quality standards throughout all phases of construction. Responsibilities included documentation and reporting, coatings inspection, materials acceptance testing, quality assurance, contractor payment verification, contract compliance monitoring, and final inspection coordination.

The team prepared weekly progress reports, verified construction quantities and material quality, confirmed conformance with approved plans, and developed as-built documentation. Coatings inspection activities included environmental compliance monitoring, documentation of ambient conditions, and oversight of waste handling procedures. LDG also monitored contractor adherence to labor standards and safety requirements.

Close coordination was maintained with Norfolk Southern Railroad, the City of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, ALCOSAN, Duquesne Light Company, Peoples Gas Company, Verizon Communications, Level 3, Fibertech, and other utility stakeholders to support safe, efficient project delivery.