The Trunnion Bascule over the North Canal in Chicago, Illinois was more than 100 years old and structurally deficient. Acrow worked with the Chicago Department of Transportation and general contractor, F.H. Paschen to deliver a 90 day removal and replacement project.
Acrow bridge applications range from long term and permanent solutions to detours, temporary and emergency replacement. As with many Acrow applications, the length of time of a temporary installation varies dramatically; the Division Street Bridge is a prime example. Despite rehabilitation projects in the past, the bridge no longer functioned mechanically. As a result, the plan to replace the bridge was sped up by a year and moved to an emergency project that required a temporary replacement solution. While construction windows are typically small, the Division Street project had a timeline that few could realistically achieve.
Acrow worked with CDOT and designed and engineered a bridge and installation solution to meet the complex site constraints and camber requirements within the emergency timeframe. The interim Acrow Bridge was designed for two lanes of commuter traffic with two bike lanes and cantilevered 5 foot pedestrian bridges off both sides to provide adequate space for expected foot traffic. It was installed in just 37 days and allowed CDOT to complete the emergency project earlier than anticipated. The general contractor, F.H. Paschen was awarded Contractor of the Year for 2014 by the Chicago Department of Transportation.
The interim Acrow Bridge is expected to be in place for 4-5 years before the replacement bridge is erected.
