Modular building is playing an increasingly central role in infrastructure efforts. A recent example of the speed and efficiency enabled by modular building is illustrated by a bridge-building effort in southern Louisiana. When an entire community was cut-off after a bridge was destroyed during Hurricane Ida, modular building came to the rescue.
Rapid Response
The only bridge that connected 1,200 residents of Barataria to the mainland in Jefferson Parish was the Leo Kerner Swing Bridge. As the name implies, the bridge had the added job of opening to allow ships to pass through. When the bridge was destroyed during the hurricane, the U.S. Coast Guard quickly set up a temporary floating bridge—but a better solution remained imperative. Construction Dive explains:
When Hurricane Ida hit the U.S. on Aug. 29, the Category 4 storm destroyed infrastructure across the northern Gulf Coast and beyond, including a vital bridge in Jefferson Parish in southern Louisiana. Global bridge engineering and supply company Acrow built a modular steel span to reconnect the area until a permanent replacement can be installed
The original swing bridge could move to provide a clear waterway for ships to pass through, so Acrow said it had to quickly fabricate special curve filler decks in order for the temporary bridge to accommodate that swinging motion. The bridge components began to arrive at the site on Sept. 20, and the span opened to traffic on Oct. 7 after only three weeks. It will be in place until a new swing bridge is constructed.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to assist in this project to restore a key transportation lifeline in the wake of Hurricane Ida,” said Acrow CEO Bill Killeen in the press release. “Drawing on decades of service in recovery m disaster, our Rapid Response Team understands the challenge of restoring infrastructure quickly and can provide immediate response in the most difficult conditions.” The replacement consists of two 100-foot-long spans, each 24 feet wide, which can accommodate marine traffic…
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Where Else Are Bridges Needed?
Chances are good that wherever you live, at least one bridge in your area is in need of attention. After all, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association estimate that 79,500 bridges need to be replaced across the country. Don’t confuse that number with the 220,000 bridges in need of repair work, though. In fact, it’s estimated that 171.5 million vehicles cross our nation’s 45,000 “structurally deficient” bridges— each day. With the federal infrastructure commitment, cities and states across the country are prioritizing and poised for action. For example, in the Midwest, the Brent Spence Bridge which connects Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky over the Ohio River. Described as “functionally obsolete” since the 1990s, badly needed maintenance work is underway while plans are in the works for a larger, adjacent bridge.
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