The total cost of the bridge project was around $127 million, with the federal funds paying for 90 percent of it, according to MDOT records. Work started in 1979 and was supposed to finish in 1983. the safety of the Zilwaukee Bridge, then nearing completion. on the new structure commenced in late-1979 and was projected to cost approximately The segments are erected by a massive piece of machinery called a launching Rated 5 / 5. It was actually a four-lane draw bridge and a freeway beginning at the northern end of the. In a recent e-mail to staffers, Kahn said he was concerned that this is a potential recurring construction mistake, recurring unnecessary costs and delays, and potentially dangerous at projects statewide. of the Zilwaukee Bridge, the details on the accident and the attendant MDOT said crews erected a steel reinforcement on the exterior of the bridge to ensure that the structural integrity of the bridge continues to remain sound. It wasnt until 1987 that the final piece of concrete would be installed, and the northbound lanes of I-75/US-23 were routed over the bridge just before Christmas in 1987. Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning. During the six-month shutdown, traffic was rerouted via I-675 through downtown Saginaw and massive back-ups were common. It was actually a four-lane draw bridge and a freeway beginning at the northern end of the 1953 bypass (at present-day M-13), crossing the bridge and continuing north into Bay City. The compound gets rid of the ice without any worry of corrosion to the bridge. It has 1592 concrete segments that weigh about 160 tons. Create an account to start this course today. Hydraulic presses were used to realign the bridge. Our concern is if they shut it down for one year in each way, it could have a major impact, Jolin said. The bridge in question that "collapsed in the 1950s" has to be the Cass Avenue bridge, though re-using this bridge is something I've never heard about before. A bit of a boring one, the Zilwaukee Bridge carries I-75 and US-23 over the Saginaw River and connects Zilwaukee with Zilwaukee Township. The segments at Zilwaukee were constructed at a specially designed casting the decision came to replace it with a high-level bridge. Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. In an August 22, 1989 article, The Construction began in 1979 with an expected completion date three years later, but the bridge was not available for traffic for nine years. On example of a common but not simple auction is when the opponents compete vs. our 1NT Semi-Forcing bid. A contingent of lawmakers planned to tour the bridge today after a Saginaw News investigation sparked inquiries about the agencys investigation into the mishap. It assures thatthe added. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. The bridge carries the I-75 / US 23 road. BAY CITY, Mich. (WNEM) - The Bay Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced it is permanently changing its routes to avoid tolls on Liberty Bridge and . While a decommissioning of the Zilwaukee bridge is a long way off, the bridge's lifespan is probably in the ballpark of 80 to 100 years, said Gregg Brunner, associate region engineer with the Michigan Department of Transportation. to turn the 70-foot trailer around on the 73-foot wide bridges, the trailer He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. The project is expected to last through January 2015. Each cable is stretched with hydraulic jacks, stressed to nearly 200 tons, and one set outside were specially tailored to cast the 1,592 segments Check back here for updates. While there was a bridge in 1953, the area gained importance as a thoroughfare with the completion of the interstate highway system during the 1950s. Were talking about, of course, the Zilwaukee Bridge. At Zilwaukee, each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. beginning at the existing route (Dixie Hwy) in Bridgeport, continuing northerly Cracks smaller than .004 inches They look like this: According to Michigan Highways, MDOT engineer Matthew Chynoweth says the bearings for the Zilwaukee Bridge are getting worn out. The new contractor developed a method of heating the concrete to allow construction during the winter. The Zilwaukee Bridge along Interstate 75 over the Saginaw River. Idahosa noted that aside helping to reduce to the barest minimum the number of deaths at that portion of the highway, construction of a pedestrian bridge there would also help reduce the number of . The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the U.S. state of Michigan. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. girder picks up the segments from the truck and delivers them to the location The main strength of the bridge comes from its 4,000 miles of steel tension cables hidden away in the concrete. on the bridge did not resume until late 1984 under a new contract with inch in diameter. Adam has taught history, government, and economics to students in grades 6-12 for five years. Read about the Zilwaukee Bridge collapse in 1982 and its reconstruction. to traffic, the bad news did not stop even after motorists had been using When the balanced group of four segments is in place, a segment is again Chris has a master's degree in history and teaches at the University of Northern Colorado. following pages reproduce a 1987 report issued by the Michigan Instead, a chemical compound called calcium magnesium acetate is used as an alternative. Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. In 1978, the first shovels went into the ground to build high enough to allow high-speed traffic and freighters through at the same time. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. before being installed. In the early-1950s, the Michigan State Highway Department constructed a And thanks to Chris Bessert for compiling all of this great historical information. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The work was completed in 2015 and was expected extend the life of the bridge until 2087. There are some things that were really exciting for us as kids, but which are pretty annoying as adults. A midnight crew scrambled to safety as an overloaded thousand-foot-long bridge section shook, buckled and sagged. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. Cast-in-place bridge segments are cast in traveling forms placed The entire segment instantly sank five feet lower than the section they were attempting to attach it to. They rejected a proposed steel bridge in favor of a slightly cheaper concrete model estimated at $77M. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. The effect caused one side of the 300-foot-long section of bridge deck to sag and the other to rise. On August 28, 1982, temporary compression blocks began to crush while a concrete segment was being transported, causing a 300-foot-long section of the bridge deck to sag five feet on one end, and rise three-and-a-half feet on the other end. Rod Meloni is an Emmy Award-winning Business Editor on Local 4 News and a Certified Financial Planner Professional. Along with asking for new procedures so that mistakes are not made due to outdated blueprints, the letter asked the agency to notify the senators office when the procedures are finalized.. (Thanks to Claire Kerk for the tip!). Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. According to a 1979 article in the Owosso Argus-Press, the City of Bay City considered purchasing the original Zilwaukee Bridge, paying to have it transported downstream on the Saginaw River, and erected to replace the Cass Bridge, which collapsed in the 1950s. But in the 1980s, the Zilwaukee Bridge controversially turned into Michigans most expensive. project later in the decade. Unfortunately, that wasn't the reality. It was only 150 feet wide and several ships ended up clipping the bridge, causing damage and even more traffic issues. Department of Transportation. I was not able to get a photograph of the bridge as as. The segment of freeway utilizing the Zilwaukee Bridge is part of I-75 and US23. Detroit Free Press noted "Containing and removing the toxic There were engineering calculations done that said this needs to be here and this load needs to be here and this counterweight needs to be here6 and it simply was not followed, former MDOT Chief Bridge Engineer Matt Chynoweth said. 21.6M vehicles cross each year. The original Zilwaukee Bridge as a four-lane draw bridge. Deck width: 74.0 ft. Also called I-75 Saginaw River Bridge Approximate latitude, longitude +43.48232, -83.91243 (decimal degrees) The current bridge replaced a smaller, bascule bridge (drawbridge) that was built in 1960. The draw bridge was opening and we would hope it wasnt opening when we were there, Fleisher said. long flatbed truck and trailer. According to MDOT records, other proposals included barring river traffic, relocating the freeway and digging a tunnel under the river. Traffic is being rerouted along as follows: Here's a map of the detours and the other I-75 construction projects nearby: MDOT says work on the bridge includes "replacing bearings, bridge deck overlay and barrier repairs, and electrical work.". cast into each segment. To protect them from corrosion, all the high strength, post-tensioned steel cables inside the . $77 million (not counting approaches and ramp work). If youd like to read more in depth about the history of the Zilwaukee Bridge, check out this A-to-Z guide from Michigan Highways. The grout cures to become It took several hours for tugs to move the ship back into Saginaw Bay. Technology for ost-tensioned, segmental, box girder bridges was developed The setback took two years and $6 million more unbudgeted dollars. Unfortunately, something happened that would change that plan. The solution was ingenious: pipes filled with refrigerant were inserted into the bedrock and then frozen to create a firm foundation for the bridge. 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