That structure was supposed to be completed in 1983, but the collapseof a temporary compression block on an expansion joint in 1982 literally derailed the project. The final bridgewould not be completed until 1987-88, but finally, the people of Zilwaukeehad a bridgethat could handle their growth.
What is the history of the Zilwaukee Bridge?
The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in Zilwaukee, Michigan, approximately 5 mi (8.0 km) north of Saginaw, Michigan, United States. 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.
How many vehicles passed through the Zilwaukee Bridge in Michigan?
23,450 vehicles. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in Zilwaukee, Michigan, approximately 5 mi (8.0 km) north of Saginaw, Michigan, United States.
What happened to the Golden Gate Bridge?
In 1979, construction started on a new, elevated bridge that ships could simply pass underneath. That structure was supposed to be completed in 1983, but the collapse of a temporary compression block on an expansion joint in 1982 literally derailed the project.
What happened to the Brooklyn Bridge in 1982?
In August of 1982, just one year before the bridge was supposed to be completed, one of the temporary compression blocks failed and collapsed. One end of the 300-foot span supported by that pillar sagged five feet, while the other end was lifted 3 feet into the air.
Does the Zilwaukee Bridge move?
“For example, the Zilwaukee Bridge can move as much as 8 inches at some bearing locations,” he said via email. Chynoweth said this is the first Zilwaukee Bridge project of this scale, to preserve and extend its life.
When was the Zilwaukee Bridge finished?
December 23, 1987Zilwaukee Bridge / Opened
How deep is the water under the Zilwaukee Bridge?
120 ftZilwaukee BridgeNo. of spans26 NB, 25 SBLoad limitMS 22.5Clearance below36.5 m (120 ft)History22 more rows
Did the Zilwaukee Bridge used to be a drawbridge?
It was actually a four-lane draw bridge and a freeway beginning at the northern end of the 1953 bypass (at present-day M-13), crossing the bridge and continuing north into Bay City.
What caused the Zilwaukee Bridge failure?
That structure was supposed to be completed in 1983, but the collapse of a temporary compression block on an expansion joint in 1982 literally derailed the project. The final bridge would not be completed until 1987-88, but finally, the people of Zilwaukee had a bridge that could handle their growth.
How old is the Zilwaukee Bridge?
35Zilwaukee Bridge / Age (c. 1987)
What is zilwaukee known for?
The City made famous from the “Zilwaukee Bridge” has I -75 running through its heart where the bridge crosses the Saginaw River. The “Zilwaukee Bridge” is approximately 1.5 miles long, has 125 foot clearance over the Saginaw River shipping channel and facilitates the movement of 45,600 cars daily in 2000.
How long did it take to build the Zilwaukee Bridge in Michigan?
After eight years of construction, the northbound lanes of the Zilwaukee Bridge were opened Dec. 23, 1987. Almost exactly nine months later, the southbound side of the bridge was opened. Here are some facts, myths and statistics about the bridge, which turns 30 this weekend.
Did the Mackinac Bridge Collapse?
The bridge has since reopened, according to police. MDOT spokesman James Lake said the crash scene has been cleared and those involved have received medical attention. The Mackinac Bridge Authority has examined the railing where the crash took place. “It appears the railing did its job,” Lake said.
How deep is the Saginaw River?
Above the Holland Avenue bridge in Saginaw depths in the river vary from 7 to 15 feet for about 2.8 miles to Green Point. In 1977, it was reported that the Tittabawassee River was navigable by small boats for only about 1.5 miles above Green Point.
What year did they build the Zilwaukee Bridge?
1979Zilwaukee Bridge / Construction started
How high is the Zilwaukee Bridge?
120′Zilwaukee Bridge / Clearance below
When was Zilwaukee Bridge built?
1979Zilwaukee Bridge / Construction started
How long did it take to build the Zilwaukee Bridge in Michigan?
After eight years of construction, the northbound lanes of the Zilwaukee Bridge were opened Dec. 23, 1987. Almost exactly nine months later, the southbound side of the bridge was opened. Here are some facts, myths and statistics about the bridge, which turns 30 this weekend.
How long is the Zilwaukee Bridge?
8,085′Zilwaukee Bridge / Total length
Did the Mackinac Bridge Collapse?
The bridge has since reopened, according to police. MDOT spokesman James Lake said the crash scene has been cleared and those involved have received medical attention. The Mackinac Bridge Authority has examined the railing where the crash took place. “It appears the railing did its job,” Lake said.
Did the Zilwaukee Bridge used to be a drawbridge?
Yes, the Zilwaukee Bridge of 1960 was a drawbridge. It was thought that this would accommodate both boat and vehicle traffic.
What caused the Zilwaukee Bridge failure?
Investigators said there were five reasons for the failure. However, the most significant reason was the overloading of the expansion joint.
Why is the Zilwaukee Bridge so high?
The Zilwauke Bridge is so high because it must allow boats to past. At its peak, the bridge is 125 feet above water level.
Why did the Zilwaukee Bridge end up causing more traffic than it eased?
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.
Where is the Zilwaukee Bridge?
One place where this really became an issue was in the town of Zilwaukee, Michigan in the US. Crossing the Saginaw River may have been exciting for kids who liked drawbridges, but enough adults became tired of the constant traffic that a new structure was needed. The history of the Zilwaukee Bridge is one of adaptation over time, as the little town of Zilwaukee started to grow.
What was the plan to build a bridge over the Saginaw River?
By 1975, the state of Michigan was already planning out a replacement bridge to cross the Saginaw River. Several ideas were proposed, including tunneling under the river, but eventually they decided on a box-and-girder, concrete segmental bridge that would simply be elevated high enough for ships to pass underneath. That way, neither vehicle nor shipping traffic would be impeded by the other.
Why did the decking problem happen?
Why did it happen? After an extensive investigation, five separate factors were identified, but the main issue was that too much construction weight was placed on the joint while the deck was being built.
Do bridges end up being replaced?
Many bridges end up being replaced as the community's needs change, but that transition does not always go smoothly. In this lesson, we'll explore the history of the Zilwaukee Bridge, and see how a regional growth can result in growing pains. Updated: 12/09/2019
When was the Zilwaukee Bridge completed?
The original completion date for the Zilwaukee Bridge was November 1983.
What is the Zilwaukee Bridge?
The best, most concise description of the Zilwaukee Bridge can be found in an MDOT -produced publication from the early-1990s: The Zilwaukee Bridge is a...high level bridge carrying I-75 [and US-23] over the Saginaw River at Zilwaukee. The bridge has twin decks built of a series of high-strength reinforced concrete segments held together by ...
How long does the Zilwaukee Bridge last?
Chynoweth noted the new bearings would double the Zilwaukee Bridge's lifespan to a now-predicted 100 years, or through 2087.
How much did MDOT spend to replace the Janes Ave bridge?
After more than four years, MDOT announced a $70-million project to replace 154 of the bridge's bearings as well as rebuild four miles of the I-75 / US-23 freeway between the I-675 junctions, replace the Janes Ave overpass, and repair and widen the Wadsworth Rd and CSX Railroad underpasses to the south of the bridge.
What freeway was the bridge at the end of the 1953 bypass?
This was part of the I-75 / US-10 / US-23 freeway.
What was the replacement for the Bascule Bridge?
Less than fifteen years after the original bascule bridge was opened, the decision came to replace it with a high-level bridge. This only after other ideas had been batted around, including a tunnel under the river and reconstructing the newly-completed I-675 loop through downtown as the through route.
Why was the 2008 Bridge a problem?
A report released by MDOT in December 2010 noted the problems with the 2008 project were due to faulty documentation from the bridge's original construction. "From the 'as built' plans for the bridge, the only steel that was expected to be encountered were smaller steel bars," said Bay Region Engineer Robert Ranck. "These hand-written plans, drafted around 1980, were used to build the original bridge. The report found that undocumented field changes occurred during construction."
Why was the Zilwaukee Bridge built?
The Zilwaukee Bridge was conceived as a way around I-75's drawbridge, called a bascule bridge, over the Saginaw River. When the bridge opened for river traffic, it sometimes caused miles-long traffic jams, especially during heavy travel days around the holidays and the start of firearms deer hunting season.
How long does the Zilwaukee bridge last?
Lifespan. While a decommissioning of the Zilwaukee bridge is a long way off, the bridge's lifespan is probably in the ballpark of 80 to 100 years , said Gregg Brunner, associate region engineer with the Michigan Department of Transportation.
How many vehicles cross the Zilwaukee Bridge?
Around the time of opening, the Zilwaukee Bridge saw roughly 11.3 million vehicles cross per year, according to MDOT. Now, an average of 21.6 million vehicles cross the bridge per year.
What caused the pier to rise?
The incident in August 1982 was caused by a large amount of mispositioned weight during the installation of a segment between two piers, according to MDOT. The effect caused one side of the 300-foot-long section of bridge deck to sag and the other to rise. It also damaged the pier underneath. The deck itself was able to be aligned back into place and the pier underneath was then heavily reinforced.
Why do trucks have to circle around?
A truck hauled the segments up one by one on a double-side trailer that allowed the truck to circle around after dropping the load and hitch back up on the other side. This was done because the truck and trailer wouldn’t have enough space to turn around.
Was the bridge glued together?
The bridge wasn't "glued together". Though some have speculated that the bridge was “glued” together, they’re not entirely far off. An epoxy stronger than concrete was used between segments. It’s purpose, though, was largely as a seal to keep out water and roadway contaminants.
Does the Zilwaukee Bridge use salt?
De-icing. 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. Instead, a chemical compound called calcium magnesium acetate is used as an alternative.
