NTL Record

Title Reconstruction of Eastern Avenue Bridge Over Kenilworth Avenue in Washington, DC
Record ID 78881
Personal Name
Creator
Bhajandas, Amar; Mallela, Jagannath; Littleton, Paul
Corporate Creator Applied Research Associates, Inc.
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Infrastructure; District of Columbia. Dept. of Transportation
Publisher United States. Federal Highway Administration
Publication Date 20110801
Language English
Abstract As part of a national initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration under the Highways for LIFE program, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) was awarded a $1 million grant to demonstrate the use of proven, innovative technologies to deliver a $10.4 million bridge construction project in less time than conventional construction. The project is located along Eastern Avenue in the northeastern corner of Washington, DC, at the border with Prince George’s County, MD. The single-span existing bridge constructed in 1956 serves as a vital vehicle and pedestrian link between communities separated by Kenilworth Avenue and allowed for a minimum vertical clearance of only 14 feet (ft). At this clearance, it had been struck multiple times, causing extensive traffic jams in the area. The reconstructed bridge has a minimum vertical clearance of 16 ft and two spans, with prefabricated units for the superstructure and pier. The prefabricated pier units rest on a cast-in-place foundation. Each superstructure segment consists of two W16x100 steel beams spaced at 5 ft supporting a 7.5-inch (in) lightweight concrete deck. Shear keys tie the superstructure units together. The prefabricated superstructure is covered by a waterproof membrane and a 3-in asphalt concrete overlay. DDOT minimized construction congestion, queuing, and related back-of-queue crashes by diverting one lane of traffic on busy Kenilworth Avenue (average daily traffic of 155, 000) in each direction to adjacent service roads during pier and abutment construction, maintaining three lanes of traffic in each direction. Additional safety measures during construction included use of median barriers to separate workers from traffic, increased enforcement, and closing of the roadway in both directions during nighttime installation of the prefabricated superstructure. Project construction was accelerated and quality enhanced through use of prefabricated units for the superstructure and pier. An economic analysis indicates the innovative traffic plan and accelerated construction schedule saved $660.4 million compared to traditional construction methods, largely by drastically reducing delay costs. This project effectively met the Highways for LIFE goals of increased safety during construction, reduced traffic congestion, and quality.
Rosap ID dot:54265
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/54265
TRT Terms Bridge construction; Bridge piers; Prefabricated structures; Traffic diversion; Service roads
Geographical
Coverage
United States; Washington (District of Columbia)
TRIS Online
Accession No
1469961
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/78000/78800/78881/dc_reconstruction_pbes_kenilworthave.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository