Bridges Weekly Update #13

7 July 2004

 

 

ON SCHEDULE

 

Of the 146 bridges scheduled to be repaired this year, we are completed with 45 of them, and 8 more are currently works-in-progress as of June 30th.  All bridgework is proceeding on schedule to be completed by November 1, 2004.  Span change out is proceeding on the east end of the Sioux River Bridge.

 

¨       E-80 and Osmose are both continuing between Elkton and Wolsey on RRIF bridges, although progress has been somewhat slowed by the lack of track windows.  We are able to progress work items that do not require a track window or outage.  Current traffic requirements have necessitated deferring some of the work for a couple of weeks.  These temporary work deferral periods were planned for during the different harvest or heavy rail traffic rush periods.  These temporary deferrals should not affect our ultimate schedule.

¨       The Sioux River Bridge is being worked on by E-80.  Prep work began on March 15th and on April 12th they started driving piling with 36 of 78 pilings being driven thus far.  This completes the pile driving that is required for the east end of the bridge.  For the next two months the crew will be working on the concrete caps and abutments, which will be poured in place.  The first of these concrete caps was poured on Wednesday May 26th and all but one of these concrete caps in the east approach span has been completed.  The crew will complete the east end of the bridge by the first of August before they travel to the west side to start the other half of this project.  This week we began to change out the spans on the east approach.  Four spans and the truss ballast tub interface/support have been completed.  Span change out should continue through the next week, as traffic will permit track windows.  This project is on schedule and should be completed by November 1, 2004.

¨       The pile-driving crane has arrived on the DM&E, so the Cottonwood and Mine Creek bridges are on schedule to begin early next week, provided the weather cooperates, and will be completed in late August or early September.

¨       One bridge was completed this week near Aurora.