Each day, nearly 90,000 vehicles cross the Sherman Minton Bridge, which carries six lanes of Interstate 64 over the Ohio River between New Albany, Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky. The bridge has two 800-foot-long double-deck, steel-tied arch truss spans.
After conducting a comprehensive fracture critical and in-depth bridge inspection, Michael Baker identified critical defects, prompting an emergency closure of the bridge. Our experts mobilized to assist the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) identify a solution to reopen the bridge. The design team quickly developed 3D finite element models to evaluate the feasibility, constructability, schedule and cost for six rehabilitation options. Based on this approach, we recommended installing 2.4 million pounds of bolted steel plating along the full length of each of the 800-foot-long arch ties to ensure the bridge’s safety and reliability. Final contract documents were developed and advertised just one week later.
Our experts contributed structural expertise and construction management and inspection services to efficiently expedite the project, including performing project oversight, shop drawing reviews, constructability reviews, coordinating with regulatory agencies and utilities affected by the project and conducting final inspection. The arch tie repairs were ultimately completed in four months, successfully returning the bridge to service 13 days sooner than anticipated.
Our team is currently processing a NEPA Environmental Assessment for extensive rehabilitation of the arch and approach spans, which includes a deck replacement, painting and numerous structural repairs to extend the bridge’s service life another 30 years. Our team will develop 30% plans and generate design-build procurement documents for this estimated $90 million rehabilitation project.