The ships captain suffered minor injuries. as they come together and fills the tiny imperfections in the faces. ZILWAUKEE State Sen. Roger N. Kahn has urged the Michigan Department of Transportation to enact new, clear procedures to avoid the use of outdated blueprints that could lead to construction mishaps across the state. The ship failed to respond after turning the bend near the bridge. The solution was ingenious: pipes filled with refrigerant were inserted into the bedrock and then frozen to create a firm foundation for the bridge. Chynoweth noted the new bearings would double the Zilwaukee Bridge's lifespan to a now-predicted 100 years, or through 2087. 23 chapters | The current eight-lane structure, completed in 1988, is the second such bridge at this location, replacing a four-lane bascule bridge constructed in 1960. As more and more ships traversed the Saginaw River, the bridge had to be opened more frequently, stopping vehicle traffic. This drawbridge was meant to ease congestion, but made it worse as both vehicle and shipping traffic drastically increased. with post-tensioned steel cables to form the deck, or superstructure, of It stands on its own steel legs Here are some facts, myths and statistics about the bridge, which turns 30 this weekend. 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. 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. SAGINAW, Mich. - Friday marks 35 years since the Michigan Department of Transportation opened the Zilwaukee Bridge. 1987a nice Christmas present, four years after the bridge was to be The construction of the structure was plagued with difficulties: when it was approximately half-complete, a major construction accident halted all work in August 1982. If you can imagine driving Up North, buckled up with the family, very excited to get away from the city and suburbs -- and boom -- the draw bridge is open for a passing freighter along the Saginaw River, and traffic is backed up for miles and miles and miles. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. In the 1980's, Toebe completed a number of large . I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Its also one of Michigans most storied. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). While it may have seemed like a good idea in the late-1950s, soon after 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. a new contractor. However, let's step back in time to the genesis of the crossing The concrete bid was $76.8 million. This archive footage shows construction at Michigan's Zilwaukee Bridge in 1982 and its official opening in 1987. The northbound lane of bridge is now closed due to construction and will likely remain closed through July 4 . are installed. 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. The first contract totaled $75 million. polychorinated biphenyl will cost at least $100,000 and could delay completion Sometimes the bridge would open without much warning, causing cars to crash while trying to slow down. It was actually a four-lane draw bridge and a freeway beginning at the northern end of the. The Zilwaukee Bridge has some impressive specifications. The segmental bridge is built from individual concrete pieces, or segments, 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. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. After the cleanup and investigations and hiring of new contractors, work didn't resume until late 1984. 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. an outmoded, inadequate drawbridge that caused backups on the freeway every The project is expected to last through January 2015. . or pillar. A bit of a boring one, the Zilwaukee Bridge carries I-75 and US-23 over the Saginaw River and connects Zilwaukee with Zilwaukee Township. MDOT's policy requires concrete cracks be repaired if they are larger than Information. Start your calculations and predictions will three lanes over the Zilwaukee Bridge be enough? While no Saginaw River crossing seems to have been through downtown via US-10 and US-23. It took several hours for tugs to move the ship back into Saginaw Bay. The original bid for the project was $76.8 million. Repairs totaled $6.8 million. When we were kids this thing was massive and scarrrrrryyyyy!! For example, consider drawbridges. The The project is expected to last through January 2015. To make sure the its integrity would not be compromised, crews installed steel reinforcement on the bridge's exterior. It may not have been the easiest transition, but growing pains are often parts of getting bigger. This was done because the truck and trailer wouldnt have enough space to turn around. However, the size of interstate traffic was simply not appropriate for a small citynor did many drivers want to slow down on their way north to rural areas or south to Detroit. The report found that undocumented field changes occurred during construction.". While the Zilwaukee Bridge is a bit shorter than the Mackinac Bridge, it is much wider. The tractor and trailer combined weigh 102 tons. pieces will fit perfectly when they are placed together on the bridge. Rated 5 / 5. At Zilwaukee, to four hours in duration and often up to 30 miles in length. Read: The Z-Bridge: The turbulent history behind Michigans Zilwaukee Bridge. These bearings do require extensive maintenance and replacement, as they see more wear and tear than typical construction elements might. The cost was approximately $6.8 million. Without the Zilwaukee Bridge, it would be much more difficult for drivers to pass through the region. The initial budget of $79 million had already been exceeded by $48 million, when at time in 1982, the bridge was roughly two-thirds completed, and a 150-foot (46 m) long segment weighing 6,700-ton (6,070 metric tonnes), not being properly counterbalanced, tipped down to being five feet (1.5 m) out of alignment, with the other end rising 3.5 feet (1.1 m). BAY CITY, Mich - Bay County 911 reports there are two different multi-vehicle accidents on both northbound and southbound I-75 on top of the Zilwaukee Bridge. In 1960, the new route opened -- and the Zilwaukee Bridge was born. Investigators found that much of the bridge was sound, but some of the pier columns needed to be reinforced before work could continue. The total launching girder apparatus weighs A pier footing cracked, presumably due to resulting stress. Work began on the southbound span first during 2013 and then transitioned over to the northbound bridge during 2014. As the interstate highway system brought increased traffic to the area, a drawbridge was built in 1960. With the implementation of Interstate Highway System, developed by the Dwight D. Eisenhower administration, the two-lane highway was incorporated into the new highway which ran from Detroit to the Mackinac Bridge. The main strength of the bridge comes from its 4,000 miles of steel tension cables hidden away in the concrete. added. For five years, it has routinely stored blueprints electronically, he Almost exactly nine months later, the southbound side of the back to a major construction accident while bridge was not yet half completed This only after 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 best, most concise description of the Zilwaukee Bridge can be found If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. of high-strength reinforced concrete segments held together by thousands the opening of the (original) Zilwaukee Bridge in 1960 it became clear of steel cable, and each strand is formed by seven wires about one-eighth After the termination of the original contract, the state found a new contractor to continue work. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the U.S. state of Michigan. to the bridge and held in place while the epoxy is applied and the cables Six steps were required to bring the tilted 300-foot deck section back to its intened position. That same year, S.J. Construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee Bridge this week. While the remaining ramp connections were The northbound portion of the bridge was finally opened to traffic on December 23, 1987, just in time for Christmas. Department of Transportation in response to public concerns about The bridge also features a massive tie-down block that spans 57 x 46 x 5-1/2 feet and weighs about 1,100 tons. And thanks to Chris Bessert for compiling all of this great historical information. directly on the bridge superstructure. Unfortunately, something happened that would change that plan. spans are complete, the last segment is cast in place to join the spans. 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.". He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. in a specially built facility and then transported to the construction Ground view shows massive dimensions We want your experiences too! The tractor simply delivers the segment Well, hold on -- not exactly. It also damaged the pier underneath. The final bridge design selected The tilting also damaged the pier footing beneath it. on the new structure commenced in late-1979 and was projected to cost approximately concerns and painting costs with steel bridges. 23/U.S. Bridge Construction Engineering. in the first place. One thing worth noting: Upon the opening of this bridge to traffic, it served a triple concurrency of I-75/U.S. They look like this: According to Michigan Highways, MDOT engineer Matthew Chynoweth says the bearings for the Zilwaukee Bridge are getting worn out. and can roll across these legs when necessary to move to a new position of firmly tensioned steel cables. 13. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. auto transporter trucks weighing 40 tons each. Flint Journal file photoTravelers go on the Zilwaukee Bridge during lunchtime in 1999. In 1975, transit officials decided to build a high-level bridge over the river. cannot effectively be injected or sealed. consisted of the new four-lane, double-leaf bascule (draw) bridge and a Create your account. two-lane highway bypass on the east side of the City of Saginaw completed Use our interactive map to explore the roads or just discover them by browsing the site. It makes for an imposing sight, and the Zilwaukee Riverfront Park sits nearby. since the bridges construction in the 1980s, the agency has used completion. 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. (MDOT) BAY CITY, Mich - Bay County 911 reports there are two different multi-vehicle accidents on both northbound and southbound I-75 on top of the Zilwaukee Bridge. text here is reproduced word-for-word from the original report and The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. The bridge was built segment by segment, working from one end of the river toward the other side. Cast-in-place bridge segments are cast in traveling forms placed During construction, the expansion joints were held in place by compression blocks that prevented them from moving until the box-girder deck was completed. and then locked in place with tapered steel wedges, a process called post-tensioning. 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. which are hollow and usually rectangular in shape. (AP Photo/Michael Hollenbeck/The Saginaw News. long flatbed truck and trailer. (Thanks to Claire Kerk for the tip!). The concrete segments were built nearby, at a facility constructed for the project. concrete, forming another layer of protection for the steel cables. Top top it off, shipping traffic actually quadrupled in the years after The cause, according to Michigan Highways, was construction loads at that location were too heavy. Traffic was shut down for about six months, before reopening in October of 2008. The bridge has twin decks built of a series Segments are transported from the fabricating plant to the bridge by a Posted July 9, 2019, by Melissa Brand-Welch, National Bridge Inventory 2021: (Nearby Bridges), Bridgehunter.com: Historic Bridges of the United States, http://bridgehunter.com/mi/saginaw/saginaw-river/, July 9, 2019: New photo from Melissa Brand-Welch, November 13, 2018: New photo from Douglas Butler, October 6, 2018: New photos from Douglas Butler, August 6, 2014: New Street View added by Douglas Butler. 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. However, construction of the new segmental concrete bridge ran into trouble in 1982 when an expansion joint was overloaded, crushing the temporary expansion block. each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. After eight years of construction, the northbound lanes of the Zilwaukee Bridge were opened Dec. 23, 1987. Chris has a master's degree in history and teaches at the University of Northern Colorado. Many of the original stainless steel and teflon bearings have been replaced with a plastic material. Ha! 23/U.S. Support MLive.com. There has been a Saginaw bridge for nearly 70 years. Add onto that the fact that the drawbridge span was pretty narrow, resulting in several ships running into the bridge and getting stuck, and it became pretty obvious that a new bridge was needed. Many have been filled with cement grout under high pressure. northeast of the city. 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. Concrete stringer bridge over Saginaw River on Interstate 75/U.S. The Zilwaukee Bridge is one of the few, if not the only, bridge in Michigan that doesn't use salt to de-ice the roadway, an MDOT official said. Repair work began in the early summer of 1983 and totaled around $6.8 million. with many steel cables to form the decks.]. Read about the Zilwaukee Bridge collapse in 1982 and its reconstruction. I say we go back to these days and watch the boats go by: 91.7 Ann Arbor/Detroit 104.1 Grand Rapids Nearly having to start over, construction took another 3 years, but in winter of 1987, the northbound lanes of the Zilwaukee Bridge finally opened to the public. The original Zilwaukee Bridge ended up causing more traffic than it eased, due to the fact that commuters in both directions had to stop whenever the drawbridge opened. Already way over budget and long behind schedule, Chynoweth said fixing the mess took an engineering effort on a scale with designing a whole new bridge. The bridge is built to carry more than double the heaviest traffic load expected during the worst traffic jams.
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