Pending
Elmhurst Bridge Design and Maintaining Traffic for 10 Bridges over I-96
Detroit, Michigan
HH Engineering Ltd. was part of the Williams & Works team selected by the Michigan Department of Transportation to prepare plans for the I-96 bridge project in Metro Detroit. The overall project included eight deck replacements, one thin overlay and one deck patching. Other elements of the bridge design included substructure repair, painting, pin and hanger repairs, joint replacements, pier replacements and approach work.
HH Engineering Ltd’s role on the project was to prepare plans for the Elmhurst Avenue over I-96 deck replacement as well as to prepare Maintaining Traffic plans required to construct all 10 structures and their associated approach work.
The approach work included the removal of the existing composite pavement and concrete reconstruction of the approaches. The existing concrete curb and sidewalks adjacent to the approach slabs will be reconstructed and ADA ramps will also be installed along with fencing in many locations.
Elmhurst was originally constructed in 1970 +/-. It is a 2 span A588 steel I-Beam structure, with 37’-0” clear roadway carrying one lane of traffic in each direction with 10’-0” sidewalks on each side of the structure. The bridge has a total length of 155’-0” and an out to out width of 59’-6”. Bridge work consists of complete deck replacement, pin and hanger replacement, diaphragm replacement at specific locations, painting, partial pier replacement and substructure repairs, and pedestrian fencing.
Maintenance of traffic plans are required for bridge construction both above and below the structures. The local traffic above will be maintained part width on both the Grand River Ave and Livernois Ave structures over I-96. The remaining structures will be closed and detoured. Because of the extensive approach work on some of the structures, maintaining traffic plans were also required to stage the construction of the approaches through the I-96 east and west service drives.
Maintaining traffic requirements dictate that one lane of traffic in each direction be maintained at all times on I-96, except when removing the existing decks. The deck removals will be completed by full closure and detour of I-96. Single lane and shoulder closures will be utilized to complete the substructure repairs and pier reconstructions. Partial closures of I-96 will be used at night to paint the structures.
Maintaining Traffic Design & QA/QC for Rehabilitation of I-196, from Kenowa Street To 36th Street
Reconstruction of I-196, from 36th Street to 28th Street/M-11
Reconstruction of Baldwin Street & Construction of Baldwin Street I-196 Interchange
Ottawa & Kent Counties, MI
The overall project was split into two construction seasons and included the following elements:
- Reconstruction and utility installation along approximately a half mile of Baldwin Street, from Cottonwood to I-196
- Rehabilitation of I-196, from Kenowa Street to 36th Street
- Reconstruction of I-196, from 36th Street to 28th Street (M-11)
- Construction of a new interchange at I-196 and Baldwin Street
Maintaining traffic for the total reconstruction of Baldwin Street was particularly challenging because of the narrow width of the existing pavement. Temporary widening on the south side of the pavement enabled two lanes of traffic to be maintained during the majority of the Baldwin reconstruction. Construction of the new water main and storm system necessitated the use of traffic regulators to install water services and storm laterals. In conjunction with Baldwin work, MoT was also designed for the half mile of resurfacing of Main Street adjacent to Baldwin and the construction of a new cul-de-sac at end of old M-21. The Maintaining Traffic concept chosen for the I-196 reconstruction/rehabilitation work required the construction of crossovers. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained WB and one lane of traffic EB. There are four interchanges located in the work zone so ramp crossovers will be constructed to maintain the use of the interchanges through the construction zone.
Construction
I-196, from M-140 To 109th Street – Maintaining Traffic Design
Van Buren & Allegan Counties, Michigan
HH Engineering Ltd. was part of the DLZ Michigan, Incorporated team selected by the Michigan Department of Transportation to prepare plans for the reconstruction of 6.9 miles of I-196 from M-140 to south of 107th Street. HH Engineering Ltd.’s role was to prepare Maintenance of Traffic Plans for the project. The overall project consisted of total reconstruction of the freeway. The freeway is two lanes in each direction. There were three interchanges within the project limits located at M-140, Phoenix Road, and North Shore Drive. Project also included reconstruction of the EB and WB Phoenix Rd structures over I-196 and installation of a new culvert at Deer Lick Creek. Other bridge work included deck overlays on the following structures:
- I-196 over the Black River
- I-196 over the Kal-Haven Trail
To meet this requirement, the maintaining traffic scheme devised included the use of both mainline and ramp crossovers so that the interchanges could remain open. Two stages of temporary crossovers were constructed for each ramp at each interchange. It was MDOT’s desire that the I-196 construction take place in one construction season, therefore a separate plan package was prepared for an advanced contract to construct the mainline crossovers and all ramp crossovers and temporary drainage that will be required for the total reconstruction of the SB pavement (Stage I).
Construction
I-75, from Birch Run Creek to Bridgeport – Maintaining Traffic Design
Saginaw County, Michigan
HH Engineering Ltd. was part of the Rowe Incorporated team selected by the Michigan Department of Transportation to prepare plans for the reconstruction of 6.7 miles of I-75 from the Birch Run Creek to 0.4 miles north of the Bridgeport interchange. HH Engineering Ltd.’s role was to prepare Maintenance of Traffic Plans for the project.
The overall project consisted of total reconstruction of the freeway. The freeway is three lanes in each direction. There is one interchange within the project limits located at the Bridgeport exit. Project also included reconstruction of the NB and SB I-75 structures over Dixie Highway. Other bridge work included deck and substructure work on the following structures:
- Maple Road over I-75
- Busch Road
- Townline Road
- Curtis Road
- Riverview Road
Because the Bridgeport exit is the only exit with 6 miles and is a heavily traveled route to Frankenmuth, the ramps at the Bridgeport exit also were required to be maintained. To do so, two stages of temporary crossovers were constructed for each ramp at the interchange.
There was approximately half a foot of grade difference at the median edge of NB & SB pavement in the vicinity of the interchange, which complicated the layout of the crossovers as well as the staging of the mainline work in the area. In one case, ramp traffic was routed onto the newly constructed shoulder for approximately a half of a mile before grades were sufficiently flat that traffic could be crossed over.
Rehabilitation of 22 Bridges In Grand Region
Kent, Ottawa, Oceana & Mecosta Counties, Michigan
HH Engineering was retained by the Michigan Department of Transportation to design and prepare construction documents for the rehabilitation of twenty two bridges, located in four different counties in the Grand Region.
All of the bridges are steel beams structures with pin and hanger connections that needed to be replaced. The work on the structures included design and plan preparation for temporary supports for pin and hanger replacements, deck patching, painting and substructure repairs. In addition, deck overlays were designed for two of the bridges.
The bridges were combined into eight groups of one to five bridges for preparation of bid documents. Bid documents including specifications and details for the maintenance of traffic, both above and below the structures. Traffic is to be maintained either by detouring or with part width construction. Part width construction in some cases requires the use of temporary traffic signals. Temporary support systems for the pin and hanger replacements were designed for either support from below or to be suspended from above, depending on the configuration of the hanger or the impacts on maintaining traffic.