Best Use - Innovative Bridge Design
In this Arroyo Veleno Bridge project, the large, pipe void design eliminated the possible conflicts during erection and made the use of small-aggregate ready-mixed concrete for the connection.
Methods used:
- Saved 170 forming days
- Reduced materials for project savings of over $410,000.
- Enabled the erection of multiple caps in a single shift accelerated the construction schedule.
- 30 individual precast concrete caps were used on the Arroyo Veleno Bridge project, each weighed approximately 102,500 pounds
The newly aligned Veleño bridge is 1,870’ long and 80’ wide accommodating four lanes of traffic. The remainder of the one-mile project was realignment construction of North and South US-83 as they approach the new bridge. A walking path with overlooks was also constructed by our crew and the original bridge that was built in 1953 was removed.
The project will provide a rehabilitated bridge that will increase the load carrying capacity and also improve public safety. If the bridge is not rehabilitated, the condition would continue to deteriorate and eventually bridge closure would be required.
The rehabilitated bridge will look much the same as the existing bridge as no structural changes are being made to the members of the existing historic green trusses. In order to meet current safety standards, vehicle railing will be installed to protect the trusses from vehicle strikes and cable railing will be placed outside the sidewalk handrails to reduce the size of the openings.
- Precaster – Bexar Concrete Works
- Contractor – Anderson Columbia
- Engineer – Summit Engineering Group
- Form Supplier – Hamilton Forms