BNSF Fallbridge Subdivision Bridge 47.0 and 58.8 Replacements
This project included the replacement of two pin-connected trusses concurrently: Bridge 58.8 and Bridge 47.0.
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Bridge 58.8 Replacement
Wind River near Home Valley, Washington Hamilton was the prime contractor on this award-winning full-bridge replacement project. Hamilton used an innovative approach to building the steel truss to reduce environmental impacts and impacts to tribal fishers’ platforms. The new 58.8 bridge was built in Portland, Oregon on a barge and floated down the Willamette River to the Columbia River and through the Bonneville locks. Once at the site, the entire bridge was floated into place in a single short duration tear out. Building a three-span, 260-foot-long steel truss bridge on a barge is complicated with limited access, river movement and boaters’ wake shifting the barge, and weather events. When assembled, the truss cantilevered the barge on both ends by about 60 feet. The float plan for Bridge 58.8 took months to develop, involved multiple levels of coordination and included contingencies to deal with uncontrollable weather events. Once the truss was fully erected on the barge, the lifting plan was tested. Hamilton coordinated with USACE, BNSF, and major subcontractors months ahead of time with critical dates in mind. Hamilton’s plan included completing the truss a few weeks ahead of the shipping schedule, to have enough time to test the lifting plan. The lifting plan took into consideration the barge and the jack towers lifting approximately two million pounds 20 feet. BNSF time lapse video of the 58.8 Bridge Replacement Project |
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Bridge 47.0 Replacement
Hamilton Creek near North Bonneville, Washington The Bridge 47.0 replacement involved upgrading the single-track bridge to a double-track for future expansion. Hamilton built the new bridge off-line of the original track in a permanent location. The new bridge consists of three steel spans: 95ft, 143ft, and 75ft; a 10-inch cast-in-place concrete deck on the 143ft span, and a cast-in-place sidewalk. The 95ft and 75ft spans have steel deck plates. Tie-ins were made a significant distance away from the new bridge on either end by BNSF in a short 6-hour period. This allowed for rail traffic to be maintained at all times. Hamilton’s approach included constructing two workbridges, one on each side of the existing track, installing large precast abutments, and casting in place large piers underneath the existing piers. Once the new bridge was completed and tie-ins were made, BNSF switched rail traffic onto the new bridge. Hamilton then used the second work bridge for the demolition of the old bridge. |
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