February 18, 2008
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Last email update.
I-35W Bridge over the MississippiFeb. 15, 2008Greetings! If you have questions, please do not reply directly to this email. Contact Amy Barrett, Public Information Officer, at (612) 236-6901 or via e-mail at abarrett@flatironcorp.com.
Piers rising on both sides of river
This photo, taken earlier this week, shows the progress crews are making at Piers 2, 3, and 4. Next week, concrete pours will include the top third of Pier 2 northbound, the middle third of Pier 2 southbound, the bottom third of Pier 3 northbound, and the middle third of Pier 4 southbound. By the first week in March, all of the piers are projected to be done.
Construction update
Drilling for footings of Second Street Bridge complete
Crews drilled the last of the 40 foundation shafts for the footings of the Second Street Bridge on Wednesday, Feb. 13. They will pour concrete into the footings the week of Feb. 25, after fabricating and placing the rebar cages that will reinforce the shafts.
Hammering and shoring will generate additional noise
People living and working near the I-35W Bridge construction site will likely notice additional hammering noise from time to time throughout the next few months as crews build the temporary support structures known as “falsework” (see photo, above). These structures will support the forms for the spans of the bridge on each side of the river. This spring, the superstructure will be “cast in place” by pouring concrete into the forms.
Building the support structures involves using cranes to hoist heavy steel components into place and then bolting them together. For the safety of the workers involved in these operations, the heavy lifting is scheduled to take place during the day, with the less complicated bolt work occasionally continuing at night. The hammering is currently taking place on the south side of the river and will continue for about two weeks. Falsework construction will continue for several months with intermittent noise.
Later this week, crews will also begin shoring work for the 40-foot retaining walls that will stand beside the freeway entrance and exit ramps at University Avenue. The shoring operation will involve excavating the area and then placing steel supports in the ground, which will create noise and vibrations in the immediate vicinity. Shoring will take a week or so to complete, after which work on the walls will take place around the clock. Both retaining walls should be complete by early spring.
Other activities
Next week’s construction schedule also calls for crews to:
- pour the first part of the footing for the north abutment, where excavation is currently underway (see photo, above);
- continue work in the casting yard on additional segments for the 504-foot main span (as of late this week, concrete has been poured for five of the 120 segments, and Flatiron soon plans to cast up to one segment a day);
- relocate a water line located between Second Street and the north abutment; and
- move wiring for the traffic signal system at University Avenue and the east frontage road (note that the left lane of University Avenue will be closed between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 18, while this work is being done).
Try the touch-screen kiosks at Mill City Museum and the airport - Project representatives have completed the installation of a touch-screen kiosk at Concourse C at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in addition to the kiosk in the Mill City Museum lobby. The kiosks provide a variety of information about the bridge, including a photo gallery, a timetable and animations showing what the finished bridge will look like from a helicopter, a boat and a car.
Visit the website - New to the website this week is information about Smart Bridge technology and cold weather construction. If you’re interested in learning more about the technology involved in ensuring that the bridge is built and maintained safely or in the quality and safety measures implemented during cold weather periods, visit www.mndot.gov and go to the “Overview” page to view two new PowerPoint presentations on those topics. And if you haven’t seen it yet, the website includes a Virtual Sidewalk Tour with graphics and information on the construction process as well as animations showing the finished bridge from the vantage point of a helicopter, a boat and a car.
Access the webcams – Two webcams are now in place to show what is happening at the construction site. One provides a panoramic view of the entire site, looking east from a rooftop on the north side of the Mississippi River. The other camera is mounted on a light pole on the 10th Avenue Bridge and will provide periodic close-ups on construction activities. To see the webcam views, visit the project website at www.mndot.gov.
Upcoming Coverage of Bridge Project - There are two opportunities to see the bridge site on TV this week. On Monday, Feb. 18, KARE 11 will be live from the bridge site at 5:50 a.m. and on Wednesday, Feb. 20, FOX 9 will be live from the bridge site at 6:30 a.m.
Attend a Sidewalk Superintendent Talk – These weekly events provide an opportunity to accompany project representatives on a walk across the 10th Avenue Bridge, where you can see the construction workers in action and ask questions about the project. If you’d like to participate, meet in the parking lot in front of Grandma’s restaurant at 19th and Washington Avenues by 11 a.m. on any Saturday.
Take a self-guided tour - Signs describing the design/build process are mounted along the 10th Avenue Bridge.
Call the hotline - If you have any questions about the project, please call the hotline at 612-236-6901 between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. Messages left after 8 p.m. will be returned first thing the next morning.
Request a presentation - Representatives of Mn/DOT and Flatiron-Manson are willing and eager to provide project updates to neighborhood associations, business associations, and other groups. To arrange a presentation, please call the hotline, 612-236-6901.Other than viewing what’s happening from the 10th Avenue Bridge, the public is asked to stay away from the bridge construction area for safety reasons.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) and the Flatiron-Manson construction team intend to build a high quality and safe bridge while minimizing disruptions to the surrounding neighborhoods.
We will continue to distribute updates weekly and welcome your comments on how to improve the communication process between the project team and the community.
For more information on the I-35W project visit www.mndot.gov
or call the I-35W Bridge Hotline at 612-236-6901.
