|
Crews working on the Interstate 35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge project removed steel concrete forms from Pier 3 southbound last weekend, providing a glimpse of the arched concrete columns. Workers immediately wrapped the columns in insulating blankets to protect the concrete structures from cold air temperatures. When the concrete cures more completely and the weather warms up, the blankets will be removed.
Other progress this week included completing the footing at Pier 3 northbound, which was the last footing for the main bridge; pouring the top sections of two columns at Pier 4 southbound; and pouring three pre-cast segments in the casting yard, bringing the total number of completed segments to seven of the 120 needed for the main span.
Work scheduled for the week of March 3 includes:
-
Pouring concrete for the top portion of the columns at Pier 2 southbound
-
Placing steel rebar in the forms for the approach spans on the south side at Abutment 1
-
Pouring concrete for the first two thirds of the columns at Pier 3 northbound
-
Pouring concrete for the final third of one of the columns at Pier 4 southbound
-
Pouring concrete for up to one pre-cast segment a day in the casting yard
-
A work crew will begin working at night in the casting yard beginning Monday, Mar. 3. It will work primarily inside the warming houses on the forms for the pre-cast segments. People living and working near the site may notice lights between 6 p.m. and 4:30 a.m.
Crews will begin installing steel supports on the north side of the project in preparation for building retaining walls that will stand beside the freeway entrance and exit ramps at University Avenue. The steel supports will be placed using either vibration or drills. The work will generate noise and vibrations in the area for about three days next week.
Next week, crews will operate a concrete crusher on the north side of the project to break up the pieces of the old roadway. The crushed concrete will be recycled as part of the base for the rebuilt I-35W. There will be noise, including a loud, steady hum and back up alarms during crusher operations. The work will take approximately a week to complete and will occur from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.
Additional information:
-
Approximately one-third of the 48,700 cubic yards of concrete needed for the bridge has been poured.
-
Flatiron-Manson and its subcontractors have hired about 400 of the projected 650 workers needed to build the bridge.
-
As of Feb. 23, workers had logged 41,276 hours on the project in February alone. That is up from 22,065 hours in total for the month of January.
|
