Acrow, a leading international bridge engineering and supply company, designed and supplied one of its modular steel bridges to help Sundt Construction transport concrete for the Interstate 20 widening project near Odessa, Texas. The bridge installation features a conveyor system and stilts instead of bridge abutments.
Interstate 20 (I-20) is a major highway that extends east to west starting near Florence, South Carolina before ending near Toyah, Texas. In the Midland-Odessa region, the highway is an essential corridor for the Texas oil and gas market but has been plagued by heavy traffic and safety issues resulting in frequent delays. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is overseeing the project to widen the interstate in that area for increased capacity and improved safety.
Project contractor Sundt Construction had to find a way to efficiently transport concrete from its batch plant on one side of I-20, over the interstate, and to the far side of the interstate where the concrete was placed. The company turned to Acrow for a cost-effective, durable structure that could enable crews to work more productively, improve transportation safety, and decrease the overall project timeline.
STILT SOLUTION
Acrow designed the bridge based on Sundt Construction’s conceptualization of an aerial bridge without abutments; the Acrow panel bridge sits on stilts. Sundt Construction was responsible for supplying the sub-structure elements, including the stilts and approaches. The bridge was assembled at the site and lifted into place with a crane. It is expected to be operational for about two years, when the widening project will be completed.
The single-span bridge from Acrow is 100 feet (30.48m) long and 12 feet (3.67m) wide. It has a timber deck that was furnished and installed by Sundt Construction. The contractor-designed concrete conveyor system was designed to handle the load of the conveyor equipment, concrete materials and the construction crew operating the system.
“Acrow’s design team creates durable, custom solutions for its customers, even on highly specialized projects like this application,” says Dan Schrager, Acrow’s business development manager for the Southwest. “Recognizing the importance of I-20 in the Odessa-Midland area, Acrow’s modular steel bridge will help speed up the project completion and lower the amount of time that travelers have to deal with the inconvenience of vital roadway construction.”
Eugene Sobecki, director of national sales and military business development, adds, “It was incredibly important to Sundt Construction and TxDOT to minimize the time it takes to widen I-20, improve interchanges, and enhance the highway’s safety features. The unique Acrow structure will serve to ensure the project is delivered quickly, safely and efficiently and help accelerate the overall construction timeline.”
for more information
Acrow has been serving the transportation and construction industries for more than 70 years with a wide range of modular steel bridging solutions for permanent, temporary, military and emergency use. For more, visit www.acrow.com.