being completed at either end of the new bridge, it was discovered one An average of more than 6,600 pounds of steel cables holds each segment in place. The so-called balanced cantilever construction went way out of balance. Its purpose, though, was largely as a seal to keep out water and roadway contaminants. To make sure the its integrity would not be compromised, crews installed steel reinforcement on the bridge's exterior. in a specially built facility and then transported to the construction 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. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. The Zilwaukee Bridge wasnt the only option pitched when thinking about how to stop the traffic jams. (MDOT/Michigan Highways). All rights reserved. The river serves as the boundary between Zilwaukee Township and the city of Zilwaukee at this point, which is approximately 5 miles (8.0km) north of downtown Saginaw. By 1975, the state of Michigan was already planning out a replacement bridge to cross the Saginaw River. 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. Many have been 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. Construction efforts hit a major setback in August 1982, when, among other, less-significant causes, mispositioned weight crushed a temporary block placed in an expansion joint. It tried to drop an anchor, but it was too late -- the ship slammed into the southbound bridge. Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning, The 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 last one was cast in late 1986. 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. fabrication of the segments. For the first three years, everything went according to plan, and all of the piers were constructed on schedule. back end and drives directly off. Then again, there's not much about THIS bridge that I had known prior to when I first visited this website last year. from leaking into the bridge itself. In 1979, construction started on a new, elevated bridge that ships could simply pass underneath. The 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. Zilwaukee Bridge crash leaves 49-year-old woman seriously injured SAGINAW COUNTY, MI - Police expect a 49-year-old Ortonville woman to survive serious injuries she sustained after being hit by. added to one end of the completed group, and then a balancing segment is Located in Zilwaukee, in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan, the Zilwaukee Bridge is one of the most spectacular bridges in the world. That report has been reproduced A contingent of lawmakers planned to tour the bridge today after a Saginaw News investigation sparked inquiries about the agencys investigation into the mishap. But the $3.3 million project hit some road blocks in March, forcing motorists to steer around the bridge for at least another two months. "These hand-written plans, drafted around 1980, were used to build the original bridge. Final position was attained on March 23, 1984, completing a challenging engineering and construction task and using some unusual and innovative methods in the process. While the bridge has performed very well in the years since it has opened Department of Transportation. During bridge maintenance, I-675 is used as a detour route for traffic. .004 inches (about the thickness of a human hair). (AP Photo/Michael Hollenbeck/The Saginaw News. The agency has vowed to hire experts in concrete segmental bridge construction for the next project. In this installment, MDOT. I feel like its a lifeline. Segments are transported from the fabricating plant to the bridge by a However, due to the accident and its subsequent repair work, construction http://media.mlive.com/saginawnews_impact/photo/zilwaukee-bridge-bbec235072ccfec4.jpg. The current eight-lane structure, completed in 1988, is the second such bridge at this location, replacing . The northbound portion of the bridge was finally opened to traffic on December 23, 1987, just in time for Christmas. The project ran from April 2013 through 2015. In 1975, transit officials decided to build a high-level bridge over the river. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Construction began in 1979 with an expected completion date three years later, but the bridge was not available for traffic for nine years. And it wasnt just the cars that suffered. The state fired the original contractors and the constant bridge problems started getting heat from angry legislators in Lansing. While no Saginaw River crossing seems to have been A December 1979 article in the Owosso Argus-Press noted in 1968, a City of Bay City official stated "the bridge even caused a 56-mile long traffic jam.". after it is opened to traffic. spans are complete, the last segment is cast in place to join the spans. Its a stretch many who live in Metro Detroit are familiar with as a passage for a trip to Northern Michigan, perhaps for Memorial Day or Labor Day. 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. 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. in an MDOT-produced publication from the early-1990s: The However, construction of the new segmental concrete bridge ran into trouble in 1982 when an expansion joint was overloaded, crushing the temporary expansion block. Traffic began using the Zilwaukee Bridge again on October 1, 2008. The Mackinac Bridge opened in 1957. It took a decade to complete and was so plagued with problems it came very close to not opening at all. The current bridge is not the first Zilwaukee River crossing. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the U.S. state of Michigan. The bridge wasnt even open for traffic yet at this point. SAGINAW, Mich. - Friday marks 35 years since the Michigan Department of Transportation opened the Zilwaukee Bridge. Information. 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. Detroit Free Press noted "Containing and removing the toxic We froze the ground below the pier, we abandoned the footing in place because the footing was completely destroyed. They look like this: According to Michigan Highways, MDOT engineer Matthew Chynoweth says the bearings for the Zilwaukee Bridge are getting worn out. The segments are joined In April 2008, a scheduled $3.3-million construction project to replace bridge bearingsdesigned to support up to 8,000,000 pounds eachwhich allow the bridge to move as much as a foot hit a snag. The Saginaw Township Republican indicated he wants to avoid a repeat of a snafu that forced thousands of motorists to detour from the northbound lanes of the Zilwaukee Bridge for most of 2008. However, construction ground to a halt in 1982 when a significant accident paralyzed work. During construction, the expansion joints were held in place by compression blocks that prevented them from moving until the box-girder deck was completed. as well. That way, neither vehicle nor shipping traffic would be impeded by the other. Authorities chose the lower-cost option. The original completion date for the Zilwaukee Bridge was November 1983. Instead, a chemical compound called calcium magnesium acetate is used as an alternative. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level bridge carrying I-75 (and U.S. 23) over the Saginaw River at Zilwaukee. The concrete bid was $76.8 million. To protect them from corrosion, all the high strength, post-tensioned steel cables inside the . Prior to that, all through traffic in the Saginaw area was funnelled course, for many Michiganders, the Zilwaukee Bridge evokes a response harkening en.wikipedia.org. and another is attached to the opposite side. northeast of the city. All rights reserved (About Us). The concrete segments were built nearby, at a facility constructed for the project. This important artery allows traffic to move through the area without entering downtown Saginaw. onto the bridge, unhooks from the front end of the trailer, hooks to the We need to make sure that we have good agreements with partner about how our bidding changes when the opponents come into the auction. River at the border of Washington and Oregon, opened in 1982, and the new Technology for ost-tensioned, segmental, box girder bridges was developed Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. MichiganDOT 6.12K subscribers June 3, 2014 -- This video is the latest in a series of In the Field video reports aimed at sharing innovations, research and new technology. Now, an average of 21.6 million vehicles cross the bridge per year. Read about the Zilwaukee Bridge collapse in 1982 and its reconstruction. Another important step is taken to protect steel cables from corrosion. truck. 4: The Accident in The Unfortunately, something happened that would change that plan. The My concern is (if) there are other examples out there of marked drawings that are incomplete. of steel cable, and each strand is formed by seven wires about one-eighth This helps to ensure that the bridge could withstand about twice as much weight as is predicted during peak traffic hours. It was only 150 feet wide and several ships ended up clipping the bridge, causing damage and even more traffic issues. (Thanks to Claire Kerk for the tip!). The segments at Zilwaukee were constructed at a specially designed casting More. At its peak, the bridge is 125 feet above water level. new eastern bypass of Saginaw for through US-23 traffic, Check back here for updates. We lifted and tilted and jacked it into place. That same year, S.J. Sometimes, the back-ups exceeded 30 miles and several hours in length. Really makes me wonder - if that was a seriously considered plan, what happened? Back to: Table of Contents, Michigan of the new bridge as segments are erected one against another and are post-tensioned I am requesting a rigorous examination of the lane traffic and am seeking alternative plans that might help keep two-way traffic open during the construction process.. originally and prevents water seepage. Cracks smaller than .004 inches This only after He has a BA in Philosophy from UC Santa Barbara, and an MA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from CEVRO Institute, Prague, Czech Republic. following pages reproduce a 1987 report issued by the Michigan The new contractor developed a method of heating the concrete to allow construction during the winter. Or are you better off taking a different route? Originally anticipated to last a few weeks, the project instead stretched more than six months when construction workers from Midwest Bridge Company of Williamston drilled into one of the bridge's steel tensioning rods. The project is expected to last through January 2015. the span for more than a year. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. concrete segment onto the bridge, is the equivalent of 49 fully-loaded or pillar. Work began on the southbound span first during 2013 and then transitioned over to the northbound bridge during 2014. Zilwaukee Mayor Gene Jolin said he hopes the state will keep two-way traffic on the bridge when it starts a two-year deck replacement and bearing project in 2012. The ships captain suffered minor injuries. The resulting fiasco was the worst in Michigan's transit history. auto transporter trucks weighing 40 tons each. Start your calculations and predictions will three lanes over the Zilwaukee Bridge be enough? Were talking about, of course, the Zilwaukee Bridge. added. 2/24/2018 Aleana W. It's a iconic MI bridge. highway running from Detroit to the Mackinac Bridge. each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. This would have been a big enough problem with only the increased vehicle traffic, but Michigan's growing economy also meant that shipping traffic was rapidly increasing. There were engineering calculations done that said this needs to be here and this load needs to be here and this counterweight needs to be here6 and it simply was not followed, former MDOT Chief Bridge Engineer Matt Chynoweth said. had also been converted to full freeway with overpasses and interchanges the bridge opened, it also caused problems for traffic on the Saginaw River If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. They weigh between 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint. As the interstate highway system brought increased traffic to the area, a drawbridge was built in 1960. 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.". Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The report found that undocumented field changes occurred during construction.". The final bridge would not be completed until 1987-88, but finally, the people of Zilwaukee had a bridge that could handle their growth. We want your experiences too! 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. A 1960 article in the Lansing State Journal reported about a German-registry lake freighter, carrying 4,300 tons of scrap steel, slamming into the draw bridge after the bridge was jammed in the open position. 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. Read: The Z-Bridge: The turbulent history behind Michigans Zilwaukee Bridge. The grout cures to become completely cured, the expoxy is stronger than the concrete segments which Construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee Bridge this week. Construction begins by placing two segments directly atop a bridge pier, has progressed down the bridge, all the ducts in the completed span are The bridge has twin decks built of a series of high-strength reinforced concrete segments held together by thousands of firmly tensioned steel cables. Department of Transportation issued a report detailing the background For example, consider drawbridges. After a bridge span is complete and construction He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. Well, hold on -- not exactly. Traffic is being rerouted along as follows: Wednesdays - Saturdays The draw bridge was opening and we would hope it wasnt opening when we were there, Fleisher said. Cables in the bridge run through galvanized steel ducts that have been TIL of Zilwaukee, a town in northern Michigan. ** FILE **Traffic is stop and go over the Zilwaukee Bridge Sunday afternoon in this July 6, 2003 photo, as the Fourth of July motorists head home. computer-aided design drawings for projects built since the mid-1990s. Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning. It Why is the Zilwaukee Bridge so tall? The southbound side of the bridge would open to traffic the following fall in 1988, according to Michigan Highways. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. In the early-1950s, the Michigan State Highway Department constructed a Its also one of Michigans most storied. Clearly, a new solution was needed. site. It was time to start assembling the concrete segments of the bridge surface. The website is for information purposes only and we assume no liability for decisions made as a result of the information provided here. As more and more ships traversed the Saginaw River, the bridge had to be opened more frequently, stopping vehicle traffic. We have some major businesses here in town that must have that expressway open.. The tractor simply delivers the segment Share YOUR roads!We'vemorethan 13.000 roads but we want more! While there was a bridge in 1953, the area gained importance as a thoroughfare with the completion of the interstate highway system during the 1950s. Of It was a lime-stone hauler from Buffalo. In a recent e-mail to staffers, Kahn said he was concerned that this is a potential recurring construction mistake, recurring unnecessary costs and delays, and potentially dangerous at projects statewide. an outmoded, inadequate drawbridge that caused backups on the freeway every I-675 was built, in part, to help traffic bypass the original drawbridge while the current high-level Zilwaukee Bridge was being proposed and constructed, in addition to providing better access into and through downtown Saginaw. Deck width: 74.0 ft. Also called I-75 Saginaw River Bridge Approximate latitude, longitude +43.48232, -83.91243 (decimal degrees) Its a lot of extra time and miles for my truck because were right off I-75, he said. Great Lakes freighter traffic would force it to open about three times a day. cannot effectively be injected or sealed. Department of Transportation, Zilwaukee Bridge: The Zilwaukee Bridge exists as an alternative to the federal governments original I-75 design. If youd like to read more in depth about the history of the Zilwaukee Bridge, check out this A-to-Z guide from Michigan Highways. We are working to learn more information. Around the time of opening, the Zilwaukee Bridge saw roughly 11.3 million vehicles cross per year, according to MDOT. needed to complete the bridge. The effect caused one side of the 300-foot-long section of bridge deck to sag and the other to rise. 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. Traffic: Estimated 21,600,000 vehicles per year. However, the bridge caused long traffic jams whenever it opened, so local officials commissioned an alternative. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. 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. Thus, the new bridge is 10. 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. The bridge was only 150 feet wide and several ships actually hit Around 21 million vehicles a year ride up and over the Saginaw River. Zilwaukee Bridge is ahigh level bridge carrying I-75 [and US-23] over Along with asking for new procedures so that mistakes are not made due to outdated blueprints, the letter asked the agency to notify the senators office when the procedures are finalized.. The northbound lane of bridge is now closed due to construction and will likely remain closed through July 4 . before being installed. 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. 1987a nice Christmas present, four years after the bridge was to be The incident added many years to the projected completion of the new bridge. Do you know anyspectacular road?Click here to send us all the info, and we'll publish it! [3] The Zilwaukee Bridge is approximately 8,000 feet (2,400m) in length and rises 125 feet (38m) at its highest point.[1][2]. through downtown as the through route. From MDOT: New guidelines recommend early, aggressive treatment for childhood obesity, Deaf student's Michigan lawsuit at center of Supreme Court case, Michigan secretary of state outlines policy hopes for legislative session, State survey: UP wolf population stable, may have reached capacity, Michigan to begin distributing $81 million opioid settlement money, How an 'anti-planner' helps artist with ADHD get stuff done, Price tag for keeping the Zilwaukee Bridge clear of ice and snow, I-75 North will continue across the bridge, I-75 South will shift onto I-75 northbound lanes and over the bridge. The work was completed in 2015 and was expected extend the life of the bridge until 2087. An MDOT report found the 2008 issues were due to faulty documentation from the original construction, according to Michigan Highways. Periodically flooded roads around the world. it joins. Still looking for information "and Bay City officials want to buy it, dismantle it and move it 7 1/2 miles north to replace bridge in city that collapsed in the 1950s. The segments were cast of specially designed concrete which is one-third Originally, the Zilwaukee Bridge was to be completed by November 1983. of concrete was installed on the bridge and the northbound lanes of the I-75/US-23 freeway Each one was closely inspected by a specially Sometimes the bridge would open without much warning, causing cars to crash while trying to slow down. Neither do we. completed. The weight of the launching girder, combined with the truck carrying a

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