The River Street bridge replacement project is progressing toward an expected end-of-October completion.
This afternoon, crews from Ramsey Constructors Inc., of Lakeville, used a 350-ton, $3.2 million crane to set the last two beams of the bridge.
“The crane has s super-lift on it that straightens the boom out so we can use just one crane to pick the beams, which weigh between 31 ½ tons and 28 tons,” Darin Florian said. “Today, we’re setting from the beginning abutment out to the pier and on Monday we will do the same procedure from the end abutment back to the pier.”
The beams were made by the L.C. Whitford Co. in Wellsville.
Florian said since this is a “post-tension” bridge, crews will have to grout all the joints between the beams and then will “tension" the cables that make up the post-tension part of the bridge.
“Then we will begin to form the deck and pour the deck -- hopefully before the end of the month,” he added.
Per the BBR network website, post-tensioning -- at its most basic level -- is a clever way of reinforcing concrete while you are building, and allows thinner concrete sections, longer spans between supports, stiffer walls to resist lateral loads and stiffer foundations to resist the effects of shrinking and swelling soils.
Benefits of post-tensioning include design flexibility, faster construction, lower construction costs, reduced maintenance costs, enhanced durability and reduced environmental impact.
First three photos show the 30-ton beam as it is moved from the truck onto the bridge. The fourth photo is a view looking south on River Street, near Five Star Bank. Photos by Mike Pettinella.
