An estimated 2.6 million pounds of concrete deck slabs, which arrived last week by barge from Tampa through the Boca Grande Pass, have almost all been placed on the new South Bridge.
All slabs should be installed by Thanksgiving.
The massive new South Bridge deck slabs are each 40 inches thick by 5 feet wide by 44.5 feet long. There are eight slabs per span and six spans.
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An estimated 2.6 million pounds of deck slabs have arrived last week for the new South Bridge.
The 16-foot high South Bridge is the first Florida coastal span specially designed to meet new storm surge criteria from the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials. Once completed, the bridge is designed to withstand a direct wave side force and uplift forces during a 17-foot storm surge.
The South Bridge Deck slab design is a modification proposed by Orion and approved by DRMP, KCCS engineers and the Florida Department of Transportation. It provides the same structural strength and saves GIBA final $60,000.
GIBA also reported Wednesday on Day 255 of the 638-day project that Orion Marine Construction crews remain on target and the tri-bridge project is now 39 percent complete.
Fact Box
Bridge construction keys
Prime fixed-bridge contractor: Orion Marine Construction of Tampa
Start: Construction began March 12 on Center and South fixer bridges
South Bridge completion: March 2013
Center Bridge completion: December 2013
Swing Bridge completion: January 2016
The finish date for the new South Bridge remains March 2013, completion for the 800-foot-long Center Bridge remains December 2013 and the Swing Bridge should be done by January 2016.
Flagmen will be used as needed through November for work on Center Bridge.
South Bridge progress notes
Orion Marine has installed special shore protection on both sides of the South Bridge.
Old south side seawall removed.
All five piling pier caps are poured.
North end roadway backfilling to be completed soon. Orion's road crews began foundation work on south-side concrete wall. Final backfilling the South area with stabilized material to be completed soon.
Center Bridge progress notes
Six custom-engineered concrete beams to support the final traffic deck with four beams supporting the new deck under each of six spans. Each span is 137 feet long and 5-foot-3-inches tall. I-beam work begins in January 2013.
Last of five caps done. Caps rest on columns to provide structural support for four beams that support the Center Bridge deck. Each Center Bridge cap is custom designed. Caps are 37 feet long, 6 feet tall and 5 feet deep.
All Center Bridge primary structural support areas - footings, columns, and caps are complete.
All sub-structure complete: concrete pilings (land and water) for both bridges all now fully set.
Orion continues work on the most visible phase of the Center Bridge construction process: the vertical build-up phase for each of the bridge's five key structural support sections (bents or piers), which function much like the legs on a table.
