400 replies to this topic

[Tacoma]

cberen1, I've been wondering the same thing.  Does anybody on the forum have access to this information?

 

As to the lights, one of the drawings I saw indicated that the arches would be lit but somebody asked a question at some event on this and no definite answer was given.

[mmiller2002]

I'll have to reserve final opinion to when its finished, but that is a massive looking bridge!  To my untrained eye, it looks too "thick."  I mean, its not like it's spanning a great body of water, canyon, or valley.

 

Its a cool piece of engineering, but looks out of place for now.  IMHO.

[Volare]

It is more delicate looking when you see it in person. I had a chance to see it from my car on the Henderson street bridge the other day looking southwest, and the arches looked great from a bit of distance.

 

In addition, there are several bulky reinforcement pieces that are still in place on the arches that will be removed as construction continues.

[cberen1]

So, no answer on how the bridge deck will attach to the arches?

[mmiller2002]

It is more delicate looking when you see it in person. I had a chance to see it from my car on the Henderson street bridge the other day looking southwest, and the arches looked great from a bit of distance.

 

In addition, there are several bulky reinforcement pieces that are still in place on the arches that will be removed as construction continues.

 

I just kinda like the simple look of the Lancaster bridge.  And, I can see things from the bridge while driving without all that structure in the way.

[John T Roberts]

I'm sorry that I didn't answer the question about the bridge deck. I stood beneath the bridge quite some time on both Saturday and Sunday. At the bottom of the arches are weld plates where brackets have been attached. It appears that the cross beams will hang from the arches. The deck will be poured on top of those beams.

[cberen1]

I'm sorry that I didn't answer the question about the bridge deck. I stood beneath the bridge quite some time on both Saturday and Sunday. At the bottom of the arches are weld plates where brackets have been attached. It appears that the cross beams will hang from the arches. The deck will be poured on top of those beams.

 

It's the dumbest thing in the world, but I just prefer things that stack rather than hang.  Does that make me crazy?  I used to weld some and I absolutely understand how strong that will probably be, but I just can't get over my preference for stacking versus hanging.

 

That said, I'm sure I'll drive over the bridge a thousand times and never think about it again.

[Doohickie]

I just prefer things that stack rather than hang.  Does that make me crazy?

No, it makes you a Civil Engineer.

[cberen1]

 

I just prefer things that stack rather than hang.  Does that make me crazy?

No, it makes you a Civil Engineer.

 

 

Heh, heh, heh...  

[dangr.dave]

Here are five shots of the bridge that I took this morning.  You can see the new structure over the old structure and, as John pointed out, if you zoom in on my photos, you can see how they will "attach" the deck.

 

7th Street Bridge Construction 1 of 5 by dangr.dave, on Flickr

 

7th Street Bridge Construction 2 of 5 by dangr.dave, on Flickr

 

7th Street Bridge Construction 3 of 5 by dangr.dave, on Flickr

 

7th Street Bridge Construction 4 of 5 by dangr.dave, on Flickr

 

7th Street Bridge Construction 5 of 5 by dangr.dave, on Flickr

[Volare]

I still can't figure out how they attach anything. I see the "nuts" where the tensioning cables come out the bottom of the arch, but that's it.

[Doohickie]

Maybe that's what they're attaching the deck to.

[John T Roberts]

I noticed today that they have started removing the deck to the old bridge.  They are taking out the span across the current river channel.

[Volare]

I stopped directly under one of the bridge arches the other day while cycling and took this photo.

 

 

In addition to the bottom of the tensioning cables and their nuts, you can see some "slots" in the concrete which actually look like they are sleeved with metal. These might be involved with the attachment of the road deck. That's my latest guess anyway...

[Thurman52]

Traffic flow with forest park is very bad. The light at 7th and Penn is still to a five with priority of 7th. Making the detour traffics stack up. Plus the stop signs should be bagged during the detour. Very bad planning.

[dangr.dave]

This is what the bridge looks like as of today.  A lot of the old bridge is gone, leaving just the frame of the new bridge.

 

When the bottom fell out by dangr.dave, on Flickr

[Doohickie]

Traffic flow with forest park is very bad. The light at 7th and Penn is still to a five with priority of 7th. Making the detour traffics stack up. Plus the stop signs should be bagged during the detour. Very bad planning.

Hopefully they will start from that end of the bridge as far as getting the decking in and then they can reopen Forest Park.

[AndyN]

Not sure why my picture from the Chesapeake Building isn't showing. I will try it again.

[dangr.dave]

Good shot, Andy!

[Doohickie]

IMG_5115 by doohickie@ymail.com, on Flickr

 

From the top of the Cash America parking garage.

[John T Roberts]

There goes the oldest part of the bridge!

[dangr.dave]

I wonder what they did with this?

 

Viaducts by dangr.dave, on Flickr

[John T Roberts]

Hopefully, they saved it.  However, you couldn't put that on the new bridge, could you?

[Funkutown Retro Retro]

Trash it! Hoarders!

[cberen1]

The steel I-beams look temporary.  When the bridge is finished will there be any overhead clearance issues or will it be open on top?

[John T Roberts]

It will be open on top.  The current steel beams, which are temporary keep the arches braced and tied together.  The deck will act in the same capacity, once it has been placed.

[Stadtplan]

Brenneke and Fay also designed the Paddock Viaduct. 

[John T Roberts]

I was on the bike trail today and we were detoured to Forest Park Blvd. on the east side and they are hanging the beams supporting the deck in the span across the river and to the west.  Unfortunately, I didn't get a real good look. 

[dangr.dave]

Here are some photos that I took this morning that show how they are putting the bridge together, since there have been a lot of questions swirling around about the issue.  The second photo probably gives you the best look at it.

 

Bridges to nowhere by dangr.dave, on Flickr

 

Ribbed for your pleasure by dangr.dave, on Flickr

 

Bridging the gap by dangr.dave, on Flickr

 

It comes in waves by dangr.dave, on Flickr

[Austin55]

It really shows how nice the pedestrian sections will be to. 

[Volare]

Excellent photos!

[dangr.dave]

They must be using some pretty strong zip ties to hold that much weight.

[John T Roberts]

I was hoping that you would post those pictures.  It was a pretty yucky day to be out shooting yesterday.  I almost was going down there in a break in the rain, but I wound up having a late lunch with a friend at Benito's.

[Dylan]

As cberen1 said earlier, it's odd getting over the fact that the deck will hang from the main structure, and even more so (at least for me) after seeing those pictures.

[johnfwd]

Very attractive bridge, and I'm glad it's nearly finished so it can alleviate some of the congestion from traffic re-routed to Lancaster bridge and environs.  Oh, Dangr Dave, I hope someone preserves that historical plaque and puts it in one of our museums (Firestation No. 1?).   Heaven knows Fort Worth historians, of which I am not one, need such relics to aid in piecing together the past.

[John T Roberts]

There's a new article in the Star-Telegram about the construction and the length of closure.

 

http://www.star-tele...ait-end-of.html

[Volare]

The second photo in the Star-Telegram article confirms that it is those slots shown in my photo in post 114 that is being used to hang the deck from the arches.

[John T Roberts]

Volare, that's what I also thought when you posted your photograph.

[Doohickie]

The more I think about it, the less I like the weight of the deck being supported by point loads in tension.  It just doesn't seem right.  Civil Engineering should be based on gravity, not metallurgy.

[Austin55]

Does this make you feel better or worse?

 

 

[Volare]

Does this make you feel better or worse?

 

 

That's the engineering of the arch, not what is hanging beneath it. I'm with Doohickie on this, seems a little nuts to me. Good thing we don't salt the roads around here in the winter! I have a civil engineer friend that I'm having dinner with next week and this will be a topic of discussion for sure.

[Doohickie]

Hopefully little nuts are not what they use to hold it up. 

[360texas]

Just a thought....  Its the reinforcing steel design that does all the support work.  The pre-cast concrete just holds the rebar in place.

 

Off topic:

As a construction managment group (on Google Earth map it is called 200 Villas), we built an 10 x 10  kilometer city from the gound up out of precast elements e.g.  floors, walls and ceilings.  It was like a gaint gigsaw puzzel. Took 4 years to design ( 4 US A&E contractors) and 5 - 6 years to build. 2 onsite precast plants, curing yards and a computer run concrete batch plant and a paver plant.

 

We had about 25 prime contractors, several hundred subcontractors and a 10,000 labor force man camp.   The design elements were a power plant, water collection system and water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, all underground utilities,  all roads pavements and walkways included a 300 bed hospital, doctors and nurses quarters, family housing and schools, workers offices and command buildings, central mosque and airfield with hardend shelters and refueling systems,

 

For fun:  Google Earth use coordinates:   27° 58' 55.07" N   45° 32' 40.64"  East

[Not Sure]

The more I think about it, the less I like the weight of the deck being supported by point loads in tension.  It just doesn't seem right.  Civil Engineering should be based on gravity, not metallurgy.

 

Isn't this the same concept that suspension bridges are based on? Apart from the Tacoma Narrows bridge, most of them have long service lives and good safety records.

[Doohickie]

 

This needs to happen to 7th Street.

[Funkutown Retro Retro]

That is the coolest bridge ever!

[Tacoma]

It was too early and dark to take a photo when I went by on Sudnay morning, but my first impression from close up is that the bridge will have a great scale for the area.  The size of the outside sidewalk looks to be large enough that you want have to squeeze by people and the separation from the road will be nice.  Also, the arches look small from afar but are a good size when you get close which I think works well.

 

And they've started with the decking on the west side of the bridge. 

[renamerusk]

.... my first impression from close up is that the bridge will have a great scale for the area.... Also, the arches look small from afar but are a good size when you get close which I think works well.

 

Great points!

[Volare]

I was riding yesterday and took the following photos:

 

 

Detail of suspension rods:

 

 

Precast deck pieces shimmed with styrofoam:

 

 

Decking proceeding from the west to east, have almost reached the ditch:

 

[dangr.dave]

Great photos, Volare!