The joint venture holding a $234 million contract to replace the Interstate 35W Mississippi River bridge plans by month’s end to open a St. Paul yard to fabricate segments for barge delivery to the Minneapolis site
Sources: Minnesota Department of Transportation; CP staff
The joint venture holding a $234 million contract to replace the Interstate 35W Mississippi River bridge plans by month’s end to open a St. Paul yard to fabricate segments for barge delivery to the Minneapolis site. Flatiron-Manson was officially awarded the contract Oct. 8 from MnDOT, which unveiled a segmental concrete design to replace a steel truss structure that collapsed Aug. 1. The preliminary design calls for a four-span structure with girders of wide parabolic profile. The 504-ft. main span will have precast segments, while the approach spans will be cast in place. Most of the proposed bridge’s components will be built in Minnesota using local materials and labor, notes Flatiron-Manson project manager Peter Sanderson.
The contractor’s lead designer is Tallahassee, Fla.-based Figg Bridge Engineers Inc., a seasoned segmental-concrete practitioner that proposes an “Arches, Water, Reflection” theme for the bridge, lighting and landscaping. “In addition to designing the best and safest bridge, we want to create a bridge that reflects the values of this community,” says firm President and Director of Bridge Art Linda Figg. “[Our] concept was designed to complement and highlight the new bridge’s surroundings and properly remember those lost in the August 1 tragedy.”
“One of the unique aspects is the extent to which Minnesotans will help shape the final design,” says MnDOT’s Jon Chiglo, I-35W bridge project manager. “Figg will invite the public to review various options and give input on what they would like to see in the final bridge design.”