County A Over the Red River
Shawano County
Revitalizing Infrastructure
The County A project presented an opportunity to replace this structurally deficient bridge over the Red River which was posted for a reduced traffic load. This deficiency was increased when, in September 2020, a significant amount of girder section loss was discovered, further reducing the load-carrying capacity and nearly warranted closure of the bridge.
After studying numerous alternatives, JT selected a three-span haunched slab to replace the steel bridge and completed the change management process to secure additional funding for the chosen alternative. The design provided pedestrian accommodations across the structure, longer wingwalls to reduce wetland impacts and floodway encroachments, and seamlessly blended a raised roadway profile into the adjacent project area.
JT completed the hydrologic and hydraulic study, which included a scour analysis of both the pier and abutment locations to ensure the stability of the foundations over the bridge’s service life. Despite the challenges presented by the shallow granite bedrock found in the subsurface borings, we coordinated closely with contractors to design an economical and constructible foundation system and accelerated the delivery of the final PS&E to facilitate an earlier construction schedule.
2022 Excellence in Highway Design – Consultant Structure Design in the North Central Region. Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Division of Transportation System Development (DTSD).
A unique challenge of this project was resolving changes to the mapped FEMA floodplain that resulted from the proposed design. This required significant coordination with the Shawano County Zoning Administrator and WDNR, showcasing our ability to work effectively with local and state entities on complex environmental issues.
A unique challenge of this project was resolving changes to the mapped FEMA floodplain that resulted from the proposed design. This required significant coordination with the Shawano County Zoning Administrator and WDNR, showcasing our ability to work effectively with local and state entities on complex environmental issues.
The project required in-water work to pre-bore piling and construct piers while maintaining the flow of the Red River. The locations of the piers were selected, in part, to facilitate access from the approach road and simplify cofferdam installation during construction. This highlights our team’s expertise in managing complex construction circumstances while ensuring minimal environmental impact.
