Shippingsport Bridge Replacement
LaSalle, Ilinois
Residents of LaSalle and Oglesby, Illinois, were faced with the extended loss of a vital link between the two communities when it was determined that constructing a replacement for the 70-year-old Shippingsport Bridge would take three years. CMT met the challenge of developing an economical, cost-effective design and was able to expedite the construction schedule to complete the new bridge in just two years.
The project to replace the outdated lift-span bridge included several special features that at the time set it apart from conventional bridge designs. High performance steel (HPS 70W) was utilized in hybrid steel girders to achieve the necessary navigation vertical clearance on a constrained horizontal profile. A vertical wick drain system was used to accelerate predicted settlement time. And CMT brought on an experienced river bridge contractor to serve as an advisor during the design process, the first time this approach had been used on an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) project.
CMT's work on the project received "Excellent" ratings from IDOT's district office, as well as from their Bureau of Bridges and Structures. It also received an Honor Award from ACEC-Illinois.
