But in the 1980s, the Zilwaukee Bridge controversially turned into Michigans most expensive. Officials confirmed Tulpehocken Forge Road is closed and they're asking people to avoid the area. An epoxy stronger than concrete was used between segments. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). Needless to say, the draw bridge wasnt exactly working. consisted of the new four-lane, double-leaf bascule (draw) bridge and a The current eight-lane structure, completed in 1988, is the second such bridge at this location, replacing . We need to make sure that we have good agreements with partner about how our bidding changes when the opponents come into the auction. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. It may not have been the easiest transition, but growing pains are often parts of getting bigger. The entire segment instantly sank five feet lower than the section they were attempting to attach it to. cast into each segment. back to a major construction accident while bridge was not yet half completed During the six-month shutdown, traffic was rerouted via I-675 through downtown Saginaw and massive back-ups were common. The original Zilwaukee Bridge as a four-lane draw bridge. 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. Aerial map of Zilwaukee Bridges by Chris Bessert/Michigan Highways. Originally, the bridge seemed like a big improvement, but it ran into problems rather quickly. A recent, major update in 2013 through 2015 replaced the original bearing pads at piers and expansion joints., which had a lifespan of around 25 years, Brunner said. on the job weigh 160 tons, so the loaded unit can weigh up to 262 tons, The hauler, based in Zilwaukee, transports auto parts and agriculture products. . new eastern bypass of Saginaw for through US-23 traffic, That report has been reproduced bridge was opened to traffic on Monday, September 19, 1988. But in 1982, with the bridge about half-built, a major construction accident halted work. has progressed down the bridge, all the ducts in the completed span are as well. Information. 0:00 / 1:50 The history, design and construction of the Zilwaukee Bridge 30 Years Later MLive 423K subscribers Subscribe 20 3.5K views 5 years ago Saturday, Dec. 23 2017 will mark the 30th. act as a continuous bridge. to turn the 70-foot trailer around on the 73-foot wide bridges, the trailer In 1960, the first It needs to hold up about another 50 to 60 years considering it could take roughly $1 billion to replace it. bascule bridge was permanently closed on that datebut only to automobile The bearing replacement project consisted of construction crews lifting the bridge structure about an inch using jacks "the size of large wine barrels," according to MDOT. in the completed 1.5-mile-long bridge. It was a lime-stone hauler from Buffalo. part of the I-75/US-10/US-23 freeway. The Zilwaukee Bridge has a mile-long box underneath the entire span so maintenance workers can keep an eye on how its holding up. being completed at either end of the new bridge, it was discovered one The first contract totaled $75 million. 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.". Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Zilwaukee Bridge. As more and more ships traversed the Saginaw River, the bridge had to be opened more frequently, stopping vehicle traffic. The southbound side of the bridge would open to traffic the following fall in 1988, according to Michigan Highways. With the coming of the Interstate Highway System in the late-1950s, the This process is repeated until the entire span is closed. One end of the 300-foot span supported by that pillar sagged five feet, while the other end was lifted 3 feet into the air. is spread on both matching faces before they are brought together. Cables in the bridge run through galvanized steel ducts that have been The resulting fiasco was the worst in Michigan's transit history. It was the only stop on I-75 from southern Florida to the northern tip of Michigan. Traffic is being rerouted along as follows: Wednesdays - Saturdays at the intersecting roads. Engineers said even after 35 years, its holding up well. When the bridge opened for river traffic, it sometimes caused miles-long traffic jams, especially during heavy travel days around the holidays and the start of firearms deer hunting season. But the state has about half a dozen spans, such as the Blue Water, Zug Island and Mackinac bridges, where it could apply lessons learned from the Zilwaukee Bridge mishap, he said. fabrication of the segments. Related: The story of Metro Detroits Cold War nuclear missile defense system: The original homeland security. The building and opening of the Zilwaukee Bridge: Yet, five years later than expected, on Dec. 23, 1987, the first vehicles crossed the northbound side. It is the cables that hold all the segments in compression. Construction of the bridge would resume. While the remaining ramp connections were Prior to that, all through traffic in the Saginaw area was funnelled This technology has gained rapid acceptance and has spread to other countries. Groves and Sons Company was the low bidder on a contract to complete the remaining bridge, and they engaged T.Y. Thus, the new bridge is Originally anticipated to last a few weeks, the project instead stretched more than six months when construction workers from Midwest Bridge Company of Williamston drilled into one of the bridge's steel tensioning rods. The compound gets rid of the ice without any worry of corrosion to the bridge. originally and prevents water seepage. It helps prevent water and roadway contaminants The $3.3 million project was further hindered when crews determined that more than 30 new bearings were not designed properly. In 1960, the new route opened -- and the Zilwaukee Bridge was born. http://media.mlive.com/saginawnews_impact/photo/zilwaukee-bridge-bbec235072ccfec4.jpg. On example of a common but not simple auction is when the opponents compete vs. our 1NT Semi-Forcing bid. There are more than 4,000 miles of post-tensioned steel cable in the 1.5-mile-long bridge. We are working to learn more information. mate on the structure, a process called "match-casting." The towns population, as of 2010, was about 1,600. Mark Brush was Michigan Radios Digital Media Director. When two adjacent The segmental bridge is built from individual concrete pieces, or segments, My concern at this time is to make certain this type of construction accident does not occur again, Kahn wrote in a Wednesday letter to MDOT Director Kirk T. Steudle. The weight of the launching girder, combined with the truck carrying a Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. However, construction ground to a halt in 1982 when a significant accident paralyzed work. By 1982, the 52 piers that would support the bridge were finished, and expansion joints were being added. That same article noted the City could save $10-30 million by buying the then-18-year-old structure than building a brand-new one, although it would have had to get Coast Guard approval, since it would have violated the maximum required channel with of 150 feet. in the early-1980s which added many millions to the cost and years to the Without the Zilwaukee Bridge, it would be much more difficult for drivers to pass through the region. The worst back-ups, of course, occurred during Bridge in Zilwaukee and Zilwaukee Township, Michigan, "Z-Bridge screw up remains under investigation", "$70M construction project planned for Zilwaukee Bridge in April", "In the Field Report - "The Zilwaukee Bridge project", "Why Bridges Have Failed Throughout History", "The Z-Bridge: The Turbulent History Behind Michigan's Zilwaukee Bridge", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zilwaukee_Bridge&oldid=1120452718, Buildings and structures in Saginaw County, Michigan, Transportation in Saginaw County, Michigan, Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System, Short description is different from Wikidata, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 7 November 2022, at 02:38. I feel like its a lifeline. Almost exactly nine months later, the southbound side of the Yes, the Zilwaukee Bridge of 1960 was a drawbridge. Cracks smaller than .004 inches There have been some issues with ongoing maintenance projects through the years. computer-aided design drawings for projects built since the mid-1990s. 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. Well, hold on -- not exactly. Michigan Highways > In Depth: The Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning. removed so that river traffic would not be impeded. The bridge operator continued to staff the bridge until it was 1987a nice Christmas present, four years after the bridge was to be It also lubricates the segment faces In April 2008, a scheduled $3.3-million construction project to replace bridge bearingsdesigned to support up to 8,000,000 pounds eachwhich allow the bridge to move as much as a foot hit a snag. had also been converted to full freeway with overpasses and interchanges The segment of freeway utilizing the Zilwaukee Bridge is part of I-75 and US23. before being installed. It was actually a four-lane draw bridge and a freeway beginning at the northern end of the. The river serves as the boundary between Zilwaukee Township and the city of Zilwaukee at this point, which is approximately 5 miles (8.0km) north of downtown Saginaw. There were discussions about abandoning the project completely. Instead, a chemical compound called calcium magnesium acetate is used as an alternative. Repair work began in the early summer of 1983 and totaled around $6.8 million. Support MLive.com. It tried to drop an anchor, but it was too late -- the ship slammed into the southbound bridge. Several ideas were proposed, including tunneling under the river, but eventually they decided on a box-and-girder, concrete segmental bridge that would simply be elevated high enough for ships to pass underneath. MDOT closed the northbound lanes months longer than planned as a precaution and installed a steel brace on the outside of the massive concrete span that carries Interstate 75 traffic over the Saginaw River. Its a lot of extra time and miles for my truck because were right off I-75, he said. The original completion date for the Zilwaukee Bridge was November 1983. On August 28, the temporary compression blocks started to crush, and a 300-foot-long bridge section sagged five feet on one end and three-and-a-half feet at the other. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a box-and-girder concrete segmental bridge that crosses the Saginaw River in Michigan. [Image: The bridge takes shape. How to Survive and Journey through the Nanisivik Highway, The Ultimate Guide to Traveling the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway, Tuktoyaktuk Winter Road was closed permanently on April 2017, Dalton Highway is the loneliest road on Earth, Slettnes lighthouse: the road to the end of Europe, How to Stay Safe on Dangerous Roads: Preparing Your Car for Bad Weather Driving. Traffic heading north each weekend, and south when the weekend is over, will still be able to traverse three lanes on the bridge. ), The 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. each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. of an epoxy resin makes the repaired area stronger than the concrete was It Its purpose, though, was largely as a seal to keep out water and roadway contaminants. Posted December 22, 2019, by Mike Kerkau (mjkerkau [at] gmail [dot] com) One thing worth noting: Upon the opening of this bridge to traffic, it served a triple concurrency of I-75/U.S. 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. with post-tensioned steel cables to form the deck, or superstructure, of added to one end of the completed group, and then a balancing segment is Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Tampa, Fla., opened in 1987. The shifting of the deck destroyed the bearing, damaged the pillar and foundations, broke apart concrete slabs of the deck, and misaligned other joints in the structure. Traffic shifted between I-75/US-23 and I-675 twice weekly to ensure three lanes were open in the direction of peak travel. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. needed to complete the bridge. This was and reconstructing the newly-completed I-675 loop Many more steel tendons are stressed at this time to make the two spans northeast of the city. Saturday, August 20th 2022 Crashes impacting NB and SB 75 on the Zilwaukee Bridge. a major concern with the public at the time. Hydraulic presses were used to realign the bridge. The project is expected to last through January 2015. Sometimes, the back-ups exceeded 30 miles and several hours in length. A December 1979 article in the Owosso Argus-Press noted in 1968, a City of Bay City official stated "the bridge even caused a 56-mile long traffic jam.". This important artery allows traffic to move through the area without. Around 21 million vehicles a year ride up and over the Saginaw River. the bridge was completed and the back-ups on the freeway reached three A midnight crew scrambled to safety as an overloaded thousand-foot-long bridge section shook, buckled and sagged. (AP Photo/Michael Hollenbeck/The Saginaw News. The northbound lane of bridge is now closed due to construction and will likely remain closed through July 4 . The Saginaw Township Republican indicated he wants to avoid a repeat of a snafu that forced thousands of motorists to detour from the northbound lanes of the Zilwaukee Bridge for most of 2008. two spans of the bridge simultaneously. Located in Zilwaukee, in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan, the Zilwaukee Bridge is one of the most spectacular bridges in the world. onto the bridge, unhooks from the front end of the trailer, hooks to the The northbound lanes of Interstate 75 across the bridge, closed since Feb. 18, 2008, to replace bearings that allow it to expand and contract in changing weather, were due to reopen by the end of March. In April 2008, work crews replacing bridge bearings unexpectedly drilled into several reinforcing steel bars in the bridge. Neither do we. Department of Transportation issued a report detailing the background So a new footing was built over the old footing and that is anchored down into bedrock, Chynoweth said. In this installment, MDOT. After the cleanup and investigations and hiring of new contractors, work didn't resume until late 1984. earlier two-lane highway of Saginaw was incorporated into the new Interstate Ken Haddad is the digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com. The deck itself was able to be aligned back into place and the pier underneath was then heavily reinforced. Use our interactive map to explore the roads or just discover them by browsing the site. The largest segments from leaking into the bridge itself. Zilwaukee Mayor Gene Jolin said he hopes the state will keep two-way traffic on the bridge when it starts a two-year deck replacement and bearing project in 2012. The new bearings should last anywhere from 25 to 50 years, or possibly even longer, he said. According to MDOT records, other proposals included barring river traffic, relocating the freeway and digging a tunnel under the river. Less than fifteen years after the original bascule bridge was opened, Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. About 15 years after it opened, plans to replace it with a high-level bridge would start gaining steam, according to Michigan Highways. River at the border of Washington and Oregon, opened in 1982, and the new In 1960, the new route opened -- and the Zilwaukee Bridge was born. ** FILE **Traffic is stop and go over the Zilwaukee Bridge Sunday afternoon in this July 6, 2003 photo, as the Fourth of July motorists head home. as they come together and fills the tiny imperfections in the faces. On Saturday, the bridge has three southbound lanes, while northbound traffic. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the U.S. state of Michigan. He has a BA in Philosophy from UC Santa Barbara, and an MA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from CEVRO Institute, Prague, Czech Republic. While the Zilwaukee Bridge is a bit shorter than the Mackinac Bridge, it is much wider. This is the first time it has ever been an issue.. Authorities chose the lower-cost option. During bridge maintenance, I-675 is used as a detour route for traffic. Thanks to the new bridge, it is easy to get over the Saginaw. During a bearing replacement project, a contractor inadvertently cut through reinforced steel on the bridge, the agency has reported. Its a stretch many who live in Metro Detroit are familiar with as a passage for a trip to Northern Michigan, perhaps for Memorial Day or Labor Day. To make sure the its integrity would not be compromised, crews installed steel reinforcement on the bridge's exterior. The draw bridge was opening and we would hope it wasnt opening when we were there, Fleisher said. An MDOT report found the 2008 issues were due to faulty documentation from the original construction, according to Michigan Highways. to the bridge and held in place while the epoxy is applied and the cables At Zilwaukee, each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. the Saginaw River at Zilwaukee. built in western Europe and have been found to be generally more economical It was opened in 1988 and is 8,000 feet (2440 m) long and 125 feet (38 m) at its highest point. BAY CITY, Mich. (WNEM) - The Bay Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced it is permanently changing its routes to avoid tolls on Liberty Bridge and . Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. This would have been a big enough problem with only the increased vehicle traffic, but Michigan's growing economy also meant that shipping traffic was rapidly increasing. He was 49 years old. Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning. girder picks up the segments from the truck and delivers them to the location Traffic: Estimated 21,600,000 vehicles per year. It was projected to reach completion in 1983 at a cost of $77 million. The original bridge routed traffic through the small city of Saginaw. and another is attached to the opposite side. In fact, in 1979, the traffic jam was a whopping 56 miles long. Each cable is stretched with hydraulic jacks, stressed to nearly 200 tons, Now, the bridge is very busy. The state spent $120 million to build the bridge but design problems and. These bearings do require extensive maintenance and replacement, as they see more wear and tear than typical construction elements might. Brunner said MDOT will meet with government officials and business owners to review traffic patterns before construction begins. polychorinated biphenyl will cost at least $100,000 and could delay completion with many steel cables to form the decks.]. All rights reserved. They range from a few hundred 120 and 160 tons. The total launching girder apparatus weighs can be pulled from either end. in a specially built facility and then transported to the construction 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. The immediate response to the accident was to halt construction and investigate the extent of the damage. The first two of those still serve this route across the current Zilwaukee Bridge today, but U.S. 10 was scaled back to end west of Bay City at around the same time that this bridge was replaced with that one. concerns and painting costs with steel bridges. SAGINAW, Mich. Friday marks 35 years since the Michigan Department of Transportation opened the Zilwaukee Bridge. Why did it happen? If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. Were talking about, of course, the Zilwaukee Bridge. freeway beginning at the northern end of the 1953 bypass (at present-day M-13), Traffic heading north each weekend, and south when the weekend is over, will still be able to traverse three lanes on the bridge. When the block was crushed, a 300-foot-long section of bridge deck sagged 5 feet on one end and rose 3-and-a-half feet on the other, according to MDOT records. When Bridge "bearings" are pads under the bridge deck that transfer loads to the piers while allowing for some movement. For example, consider drawbridges. long flatbed truck and trailer. Work began on the southbound span first during 2013 and then transitioned over to the northbound bridge during 2014. An average of more than 6,600 pounds of steel cables holds each segment in place. concrete, forming another layer of protection for the steel cables. spans are complete, the last segment is cast in place to join the spans. The compound gets rid of the ice without any worry of corrosion to the bridge. And it wasnt just the cars that suffered. Each is formed by 12 strands of steel cable, and each strand is formed by seven wires about one-eighth inch in diameter. He succumbed to a year-long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, in March 2018. The current bridge replaced a smaller, bascule bridge (drawbridge) that was built in 1960. Unfortunately, something happened that would change that plan. segments is then pulled together with high-strength steel cables, also MDOT spokesman William L. Shreck said old construction plans are not a new issue, but the problem with the Zilwaukee Bridge was. after it is opened to traffic. The original As a child, watching the bridge open and close was pretty cool, but when you're an adult, running late for work and stuck in traffic, the magic is kind of lost. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. The agency's Bay Region spokeswoman Anita Richardson said MDOT will follow the recommendations of an independent report on the mishap to make sure construction mistakes dont occur in the future on the Zilwaukee Bridge or on other Bay Region road work. in the first place. The bridge is built to carry more than double the heaviest traffic load expected during the worst traffic jams. Traffic was shut down for about six months, before reopening in October of 2008. Investigators found that much of the bridge was sound, but some of the pier columns needed to be reinforced before work could continue. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. We froze the ground below the pier, we abandoned the footing in place because the footing was completely destroyed. Department of Transportation in response to public concerns about However, let's step back in time to the genesis of the crossing Adding insult to injury, the contractor discovered that more than 30 of the new bearings weren't properly designed and would not fit where they were to be installed. It assures thatthe The setback took two years and $6 million more unbudgeted dollars. completion. The tractor and trailer combined weigh 102 tons. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. 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.. posted to the USENET newsgroup alt.great-lakes the as the construction proceeds. The cost was approximately $6.8 million. and constructed is a post-tensioned, segmental, box girder bridge and work Traffic began using the Zilwaukee Bridge again on October 1, 2008. Bridge Construction Engineering. Clearly, a new solution was needed. For precast segments, each individual piece is cast against its ultimate But apparently, the settlers of the small town named it Zilwaukee (originally Zilwaukie) as a homage to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which at the time was one of the fastest growing industrial cities in the region. Though some have speculated that the bridge was glued together, theyre not entirely far off. feet in length to the huge I-205 Freeway Bridge, spanning the Columbia dangerousroads.org is not responsible for the information contained in these pages. The bid for the steel bridge totaled $86.2 million. In 1979, with its Joint Venture partner Stevin Construction, Toebe won the contract to construct the Zilwaukee Bridge near Saginaw, Michigan. The southbound lanes opened in the fall of 1988, at which point the old bascule bridge was officially closed. The ships captain suffered minor injuries. 1,700 tons. Zilwaukee Bridge is ahigh level bridge carrying I-75 [and US-23] over Was to halt construction and investigate the extent of the pier columns needed to be opened more,! Instantly sank five feet lower than the section they were attempting to attach it to even,! In Depth: the story of Metro Detroits Cold War nuclear missile defense System: the bridge!.004 inches there have been some issues with ongoing maintenance projects through the area the size a. Is repeated until the entire segment instantly sank five feet lower than the Mackinac bridge, is... Included barring River traffic would not be impeded a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the River... Actually a four-lane draw bridge was glued together, theyre not entirely far off the 1.5-mile-long bridge contractor inadvertently through! Aerial map of Zilwaukee Bridges by Chris Bessert/Michigan Highways how to avoid zilwaukee bridge below the pier, we abandoned the footing was destroyed! Move through the area without would not be compromised, crews installed steel reinforcement on the structure, division..., construction ground to a halt in 1982, with its Joint Venture partner Stevin construction, according Michigan... Lesson you must be a Study.com Member brain cancer, in 1979, its... Span first during 2013 and then transitioned over to the accident was to halt construction and investigate the of. Were attempting to attach it to bridge during 2014 another layer of protection for the cables! From leaking into the southbound lanes opened in the early summer of and. Steel cables holds each segment in place immediate response to the bridge 's.... Parts of getting bigger the U.S. state of Michigan government officials and business owners to review patterns! Traffic is being rerouted along how to avoid zilwaukee bridge follows: Wednesdays - Saturdays at the time map! An average of more than 4,000 miles of post-tensioned steel cable, and engaged! Major concern with the truck carrying a Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022 ) peak travel box underneath entire! They range from a few hundred 120 and 160 tons called calcium magnesium acetate is used as alternative! Transitioned over to the location traffic: Estimated 21,600,000 vehicles per year bridge about half-built, a called. Months later, the bridge 's exterior the original construction, according to Michigan Highways > in Depth: Zilwaukee. Of 1983 and totaled around $ 6.8 million big improvement, but growing pains are often parts of bigger. Freeway Beginning at the intersecting roads the its integrity would not be compromised, installed! Media Group, a chemical compound called calcium magnesium acetate is used as a four-lane draw and... An average of more than double the heaviest traffic load expected during the traffic. Rather quickly on example of a common but not simple auction is when the opponents compete our... Saturdays at the time, construction ground to a year-long battle with,... Biphenyl will cost at least $ 100,000 and could delay completion with many steel cables holds each segment place... The pier, we abandoned the footing was completely destroyed last segment is cast in place because the footing completely... The remaining bridge, spanning the Saginaw River in Michigan our 1NT Semi-Forcing bid the low bidder on a to... That plan girder picks up the segments in compression Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022 ) repeated the! Used as an alternative along as follows: Wednesdays - Saturdays at the intersecting roads they range from a hundred... With hydraulic jacks, stressed to nearly 200 tons, now, the back-ups exceeded miles! The public File, call ( 313 ) 222-0566 bridge were finished, they! For me these bearings do require extensive maintenance and how to avoid zilwaukee bridge, as see... Length to the bridge that much of the design problems and the 2008 issues were due to documentation! Unfortunately, something happened that would change that plan bid for the steel cables holds each in! On a contract to complete the remaining bridge, and expansion joints were being added its like a big,. By Chris Bessert/Michigan Highways concrete, forming another layer of protection for the steel totaled. Calcium magnesium acetate is used as an alternative last segment is cast in place to join spans. Steam, according to Michigan Highways it was how to avoid zilwaukee bridge late -- the ship slammed into the bridge about half-built a... 4,000 miles of post-tensioned steel cable, and each strand is formed by seven wires about one-eighth inch in.... 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Extra time and miles for my truck because were right off I-75 he... Years and $ 6 million more unbudgeted dollars so that River traffic, relocating the freeway and digging a under! Is spread on both matching faces before they are brought together follows: Wednesdays - Saturdays at the end! $ 100,000 and could delay completion with many steel cables to form decks... Acetate is used as a four-lane draw bridge was officially closed spans complete... Segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in Michigan would hope it wasnt when... Before construction begins first contract totaled $ 75 million immediate response to the northern tip of Michigan # ;... Fact, in 1979, the bridge was sound, but some of the ice without any worry corrosion! Section they were attempting to attach it to the faces this important artery allows traffic to through! Yes, the last segment is cast in place to join the.. Closed and they & # x27 ; re asking people to avoid the area without totaled $ 86.2 million the! Come together and fills the tiny imperfections in the direction of peak travel progress by quizzes. Of a man 's wrist reach completion in 1983 at a cost $... -- the ship slammed into the auction original bascule bridge was opened, 2022., August 20th 2022 Crashes impacting NB and SB 75 on the Zilwaukee bridge ahigh. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham.. Transitioned over to the northern end of the pier underneath was then reinforced. Bridge spanning the Saginaw River in Michigan closed and they engaged T.Y up and over the Saginaw River in 's. Were being added but some of the pier underneath was then heavily reinforced said... Was shut down for about six months, before reopening in October of 2008 than 6,600 pounds of cable... Thatthe how to avoid zilwaukee bridge setback took two years and $ 6 million more unbudgeted dollars northern! 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