Acrow, a leading international bridge engineering and supply company, announced it has designed and supplied four modular steel bridges to carry traffic during major highway construction in Michigan. Acrow’s structures were installed in Battle Creek to minimize inconvenience to travelers during the $160 million, multiyear I-94 Modernization Project, which will replace or repair 17 bridges and resurface 10 miles of the interstate. Because of extremely heavy commuter and commercial traffic on the route, safe, reliable temporary bridges were considered essential to the success of the project.
The project was bid as a joint venture and awarded to Anlaan Corporation and C.A. Hull. Acrow provided two bridges to each of the partners. All four were designed to AASHTO HL-93 loading and all have an asphalt deck surface. The bridges rented to Anlaan measure 230 feet (70.1 m) and 150 feet (45.7 m) in length. The roadway width for the longer two-lane bridge is 30 feet (9.15 m); the shorter bridge is 18 feet (5.49 m) wide. The longer bridge was installed with a full cantilever launch and the other, a crane-assisted launch. Opened in June 2023, it is expected they will be in place until March 2024.
The bridges rented to C.A. Hull are 190 feet (57.9 m) and 150 feet (45.7 m) long. Each has a roadway width of 18 feet (5.49 m). The bridges were installed in the median of I-94 between the existing eastbound and westbound structures, which posed technical challenges, as did the design of earth retention to support the temporary foundations. The structures were opened in June 2023 and are expected to be in place until August 2024.
“Project owners and contractors are increasingly selecting detour bridges over other re-routing methods during construction projects,” said Abbey Smith, Acrow’s Great Lakes Regional Sales Manager. “In addition to making work sites safer, modular detour bridging helps minimize work zone impact on motorists and local businesses and keep projects on or ahead of schedule.”
“In addition to increasing safety and convenience for motorists, these critical infrastructure upgrades are integral to the economic health of the region and play an important role in ensuring our roads and bridges can be rapidly and cost-effectively rehabilitated,” said Mark Joosten, Acrow’s President and COO. “Available for rent or purchase, Acrow’s rugged detour bridges save time and money and enable Accelerated Bridge Construction for priority projects.”