in the first place. The hauler, based in Zilwaukee, transports auto parts and agriculture products. Construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee Bridge this week. There will be about 27,000 miles of eighth-inch wire Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. The bridge carries the I-75 / US 23 road. 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. 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. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. The Of Really makes me wonder - if that was a seriously considered plan, what happened? The state fired the original contractors and the constant bridge problems started getting heat from angry legislators in Lansing. Department of Transportation. So a new footing was built over the old footing and that is anchored down into bedrock, Chynoweth said. The freighter was fine but the bridge suffered substantial damage. 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. In 1960, the first The solution was ingenious: pipes filled with refrigerant were inserted into the bedrock and then frozen to create a firm foundation for the bridge. through downtown as the through route. The segments at Zilwaukee were constructed at a specially designed casting This is the first time it has ever been an issue.. As noted above, when the bridge was approximately half-complete, a major The concrete segments were built nearby, at a facility constructed for the project. The segment of freeway utilizing the Zilwaukee Bridge is part of I-75 and US23. called tendons, to form a solid unit. The work was completed in 2015 and was expected extend the life of the bridge until 2087. He has a BA in Philosophy from UC Santa Barbara, and an MA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from CEVRO Institute, Prague, Czech Republic. two-lane highway bypass on the east side of the City of Saginaw completed of steel cable, and each strand is formed by seven wires about one-eighth Many more steel tendons are stressed at this time to make the two spans Create your account. While the most obvious 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. That report has been reproduced Many Michigan seniors, like Tom Fleisher of West Bloomfield, remember the signs warning people. The resulting fiasco was the worst in Michigan's transit history. Cables in the bridge run through galvanized steel ducts that have been Unfortunately, something happened that would change that plan. The segments are joined The cause, according to Michigan Highways, was construction loads at that location were too heavy. On precast segmental bridges, the concrete segments must be delivered back to a major construction accident while bridge was not yet half completed The Department followed rigid procedures for quality control during the Adding insult to injury, the contractor discovered that more than 30 of the new bearings weren't properly designed and would not fit where they were to be installed. If not replaced, the normal shifting movements of the bridge would cause additional damage, thus reducing its lifespan. Its purpose, though, was largely as a seal to keep out water and roadway contaminants. Precast segments, such as those at the Zilwaukee Bridge, are fabricated However, due to the accident and its subsequent repair work, construction 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. Officials confirmed Tulpehocken Forge Road is closed and they're asking people to avoid the area. In 1979, construction started on a new, elevated bridge that ships could simply pass underneath. When we open 1-Major and show a hand with a long suit, the opponents often find a way to get in the way. problems concerned the massive traffic tie-ups on the freeway each time It needs to hold up about another 50 to 60 years considering it could take roughly $1 billion to replace it. Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning, The and then locked in place with tapered steel wedges, a process called post-tensioning. Our concern is if they shut it down for one year in each way, it could have a major impact, Jolin said. other ideas had been batted around, including a tunnel under the river The issue of one-way traffic is of great concern to local businesses and local government, he wrote in the letter to Steudle. Construction of the bridge would resume. Annotated Aerial Image, I-75 and Zilwaukee Bridge Improvements: Construction and Motorist Information, Photography In 1960, the new route opened -- and the Zilwaukee Bridge was born. The Zilwauke Bridge is so high because it must allow boats to past. The tractor simply delivers the segment Unfortunately, shipping increased fourfold in the early 1960s; and each time the drawbridge opened, cars would back up for miles. In 1978, the first shovels went into the ground to build high enough to allow high-speed traffic and freighters through at the same time. For five years, it has routinely stored blueprints electronically, he new eastern bypass of Saginaw for through US-23 traffic, primary purpose of the epoxy is to act as an environmental seal of the Investigators found that much of the bridge was sound, but some of the pier columns needed to be reinforced before work could continue. The first contract totaled $75 million. Zilwaukee Bridge is ahigh level bridge carrying I-75 [and US-23] over Back to: Section 2: Background This was done because the truck and trailer wouldnt have enough space to turn around. Traffic: Estimated 21,600,000 vehicles per year. Today, there are more than 70 segmental bridges either completed or under The worst back-ups, of course, occurred during The ships captain suffered minor injuries. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. A track-mounted crane atop the launching directly on the bridge superstructure. to four hours in duration and often up to 30 miles in length. to build than steel bridges and less expensive to maintain because of corrosion Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning. On August 28, 1982, temporary compression blocks began to crush while a concrete segment was being transported, causing a 300-foot-long section of the bridge deck to sag five feet on one end, and rise three-and-a-half feet on the other end. Later during construction of new on- and off-ramps in the M-13 interchange on the bridge approach, workers uncovered an uncharted landfill containing PCB-contaminated waste, necessitating an environmental cleanup. 10. On Saturday, the bridge has three southbound lanes, while northbound traffic. It took a decade to complete and was so plagued with problems it came very close to not opening at all. Groves and Sons Company was the low bidder on a contract to complete the remaining bridge, and they engaged T.Y. text here is reproduced word-for-word from the original report and A three-week project turned into six months, and crews ended up discovering that more than 30 of the new bearings werent properly designed and would not fit. 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. After the completion of the new bridge, the Zilwaukee Bridge experienced a stretch of mostly peace for cars and freighters alike. The northbound lane of bridge is now closed due to construction and will likely remain closed through July 4 . The grout cures to become Were talking about, of course, the Zilwaukee Bridge. A Saginaw News article from 1967 details another freighters crash into the bridge, causing traffic to be re-routed for a few days. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. Authorities chose the lower-cost option. fabrication of the segments. 10. It also lubricates the segment faces Cast-in-place bridge segments are cast in traveling forms placed Use our interactive map to explore the roads or just discover them by browsing the site. bascule bridge was permanently closed on that datebut only to automobile (You can read a lot more about the construction issue here). The incident added many years to the projected completion of the new bridge. Its also one of Michigans most storied. Increased traffic led to the construction of a four-lane drawbridge that raised to let boats pass in 1960. The deck itself was able to be aligned back into place and the pier underneath was then heavily reinforced. That same year, S.J. Repairs totaled $6.8 million. Additionally, MDOT performed bridge deck surface repairs and a sealer overlay was applied along with repairs to some of the barriers, lighting systems and other electrial repairs. A pier footing cracked, presumably due to resulting stress. An MDOT report found the 2008 issues were due to faulty documentation from the original construction, according to Michigan Highways. Many have been In the early-1950s, the Michigan State Highway Department constructed a The present structure was designed to relieve traffic congestion along the freeway crossing it, resulting from repeated openings of the draw span for lake freighter traffic serving industrial sites along the river. The current bridge replaced a smaller, bascule bridge (drawbridge) that was built in 1960. of the ramp, now scheduled to open this year. These features expand or contract with the temperature, giving the bridge the ability to adjust to both the warm Michigan summers and extreme colds of winter without sacrificing structural stability. Aerial map of Zilwaukee Bridges by Chris Bessert/Michigan Highways. The current eight-lane structure, completed in 1988, is the second such bridge at this location, replacing . were routed over the bridge for the first time on Wednesday, December 23, Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. an outmoded, inadequate drawbridge that caused backups on the freeway every Many of the original stainless steel and teflon bearings have been replaced with a plastic material. Most roads are bridges are simple structures, he said. The Z-Bridge, as it has come to be called, has a rich and, at times, dangerous history, but its without a doubt one of the best-known bridges in Michigan. [3] The Zilwaukee Bridge is approximately 8,000 feet (2,400m) in length and rises 125 feet (38m) at its highest point.[1][2]. Bridge "bearings" are pads under the bridge deck that transfer loads to the piers while allowing for some movement. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the U.S. state of Michigan. This archive footage shows construction at Michigan's Zilwaukee Bridge in 1982 and its official opening in 1987. When the balanced group of four segments is in place, a segment is again Originally, the Zilwaukee Bridge was to be completed by November 1983. In 1979, with its Joint Venture partner Stevin Construction, Toebe won the contract to construct the Zilwaukee Bridge near Saginaw, Michigan. onto the bridge, unhooks from the front end of the trailer, hooks to the Though some have speculated that the bridge was glued together, theyre not entirely far off. They rejected a proposed steel bridge in favor of a slightly cheaper concrete model estimated at $77M. As the interstate highway system brought increased traffic to the area, a drawbridge was built in 1960. The Saginaw News reported on the price tag to keep the Zilwaukee Bridge free of snow and ice.The don't use cheap salt which would result in corrosion of. "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. 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. back end and drives directly off. On Tuesday, September 22, 1987 the final 117-ton piece Concrete stringer bridge over Saginaw River on Interstate 75/U.S. The original Zilwaukee Bridge as a four-lane draw bridge. as well. We froze the ground below the pier, we abandoned the footing in place because the footing was completely destroyed. The draw bridge was opening and we would hope it wasnt opening when we were there, Fleisher said. I was not able to get a photograph of the bridge as as. The agency's Bay Region spokeswoman Anita Richardson said MDOT will follow the recommendations of an independent report on the mishap to make sure construction mistakes dont occur in the future on the Zilwaukee Bridge or on other Bay Region road work. Sometimes the bridge would open without much warning, causing cars to crash while trying to slow down. being completed at either end of the new bridge, it was discovered one 4: The Accident in The This only after and constructed is a post-tensioned, segmental, box girder bridge and work Learn about the Zilwaukee Bridge on the Saginaw River, its history, and its height. This process is repeated until the entire span is closed. completely cured, the expoxy is stronger than the concrete segments which The concrete bid was $76.8 million. The segmental bridge is built from individual concrete pieces, or segments, However, construction ground to a halt in 1982 when a significant accident paralyzed work. accident, what caused it and what was done to remedy the situation can The website is for information purposes only and we assume no liability for decisions made as a result of the information provided here. When two adjacent Originally, the bridge seemed like a big improvement, but it ran into problems rather quickly. In August of 1982, just one year before the bridge was supposed to be completed, one of the temporary compression blocks failed and collapsed. The bid for the steel bridge totaled $86.2 million. of the Zilwaukee Bridge, the details on the accident and the attendant the bridge was completed and the back-ups on the freeway reached three where they are to be erected. You are being asked to avoid the. Deck width: 74.0 ft. Also called I-75 Saginaw River Bridge Approximate latitude, longitude +43.48232, -83.91243 (decimal degrees) 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. The report found that undocumented field changes occurred during construction.". The southbound side opened the next summer. You are still completely responsible for your decisions, your actions, and your safety. as the construction proceeds. more than six times as much as a fully-loaded standard 18-wheel, 40-ton The ship failed to respond after turning the bend near the bridge. Thus, the new bridge is added to one end of the completed group, and then a balancing segment is The new contractor developed a method of heating the concrete to allow construction during the winter. SAGINAW, Mich. Friday marks 35 years since the Michigan Department of Transportation opened the Zilwaukee Bridge. 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. The segments were cast of specially designed concrete which is one-third Next: Section 4: The Accident 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. 1,700 tons. to turn the 70-foot trailer around on the 73-foot wide bridges, the trailer And thanks to Chris Bessert for compiling all of this great historical information. highway running from Detroit to the Mackinac Bridge. When the block was crushed, a 300-foot-long section of bridge deck sagged 5 feet on one end and rose 3-and-a-half feet on the other, according to MDOT records. Repair work began in the early summer of 1983 and totaled around $6.8 million. In this installment, MDOT. These joints have to be kept perfectly immobile during construction, so they are filled with temporary blocks held in place with steel tendons. An average of more than 6,600 pounds of steel cables holds each segment in place. And they did this to try and trick new settlers, like immigrants, into thinking it was actually Milwaukee. completed. on this website in its entirety for informational purposes and can be Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Tampa, Fla., opened in 1987. The best, most concise description of the Zilwaukee Bridge can be found As more and more ships traversed the Saginaw River, the bridge had to be opened more frequently, stopping vehicle traffic. 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. The original bridge routed traffic through the small city of Saginaw. With fuel prices the way they are, every mile extra hurts.. Already way over budget and long behind schedule, Chynoweth said fixing the mess took an engineering effort on a scale with designing a whole new bridge. The These bearings do require extensive maintenance and replacement, as they see more wear and tear than typical construction elements might. Chris has a master's degree in history and teaches at the University of Northern Colorado. Neither do we. However, it is most often known as the source of a giant headache because of a costly and high-profile construction accident that halted work entirely for two years. joint between the segments. of firmly tensioned steel cables. it was issued prior to the completion of the bridge and is worded accordingly. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. There will be about 27,000 miles of eighth-inch wire in the completed 1.5-mile-long bridge. Ground view shows massive dimensions This important artery allows traffic to move through the area without. Workers then epoxy the segments together and run them through with steel tension wires. Construction begins by placing two segments directly atop a bridge pier, The Zilwaukee Bridge has a mile-long box underneath the entire span so maintenance workers can keep an eye on how its holding up. After the cleanup and investigations and hiring of new contractors, work didn't resume until late 1984. Michigan Highways > In Depth: The Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning. This story is a bit of legend, but its mostly accepted by local historians. TIL of Zilwaukee, a town in northern Michigan. This high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River is said to be the perfect example on how not to build a bridge. of concrete was installed on the bridge and the northbound lanes of the I-75/US-23 freeway Hydraulic presses were used to realign the bridge. Saturday, August 20th 2022 Crashes impacting NB and SB 75 on the Zilwaukee Bridge. in the early-1980s which added many millions to the cost and years to the According to a 1979 article in the Owosso Argus-Press, the City of Bay City considered purchasing the original Zilwaukee Bridge, paying to have it transported downstream on the Saginaw River, and erected to replace the Cass Bridge, which collapsed in the 1950s. The project is expected to last through January 2015. $77 million (not counting approaches and ramp work). at the intersecting roads. A match-cast segment is attached to one side of that pier group The state spent $120 million to build the bridge but design problems and. or pillar. After a bridge span is complete and construction Segments are transported from the fabricating plant to the bridge by a one of the most spectacular bridges in the world. concrete segment onto the bridge, is the equivalent of 49 fully-loaded the opening of the (original) Zilwaukee Bridge in 1960 it became clear During construction, the expansion joints were held in place by compression blocks that prevented them from moving until the box-girder deck was completed. There has been a Saginaw bridge for nearly 70 years. We need to make sure that we have good agreements with partner about how our bidding changes when the opponents come into the auction. The newly developed concept of interstate highways changed the way that people moved around and brought more commuters through the region on their way from Detroit to the Upper and Lower Peninsula-connecting Mackinac Bridge. The origin of today's Zilwaukee Bridge can be traced back to the original It was actually a four-lane draw bridge and a freeway beginning at the northern end of the. The towns population, as of 2010, was about 1,600. Six steps were required to bring the tilted 300-foot deck section back to its intened position. subjected every day to far heavier weights than it will ever experience I say we go back to these days and watch the boats go by: 91.7 Ann Arbor/Detroit 104.1 Grand Rapids Ha! For the first three years, everything went according to plan, and all of the piers were constructed on schedule. The new bearings should last anywhere from 25 to 50 years, or possibly even longer, he said. I dont know whether or not the problem with the Z-Bridge is limited to the Z-Bridge or not, said Kahn, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, in a recent interview. It was a lime-stone hauler from Buffalo. After the termination of the original contract, the state found a new contractor to continue work. the crossing would cause more problems then it solved. It wasnt until 1987 that the final piece of concrete would be installed, and the northbound lanes of I-75/US-23 were routed over the bridge just before Christmas in 1987. Almost exactly nine months later, the southbound side of the in an MDOT-produced publication from the early-1990s: The 23/U.S. When Department of Transportation issued a report detailing the background 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. found at the following link. Segmental bridges are in two general categories: precase and cast-in-place. The town's founders called it Zilwaukee to confuse it with the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in hopes of luring settlers there to work. the bridge opened, it also caused problems for traffic on the Saginaw River and can roll across these legs when necessary to move to a new position And it wasnt just the cars that suffered. in a specially built facility and then transported to the construction The expectation was that adding this additional crossing would give vehicles more options and more direct routes, breaking up the traffic along the growing interstate. By 1975, the state of Michigan was already planning out a replacement bridge to cross the Saginaw River. However, the most significant reason was the overloading of the expansion joint. 23 chapters | The last one was cast in late 1986. Department of Transportation, Zilwaukee Bridge: In 1979, construction on the elevated Zilwaukee Bridge, which accommodates both boat and vehicle traffic, began. In the 1950s, Michigan expanded its transportation system expanding north from Saginaw and through Zilwaukee. To ease the commute along this route, a bridge was constructed over the Saginaw River. Ken Haddad is the digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com. My concern is (if) there are other examples out there of marked drawings that are incomplete. dangerousroads.org is not responsible for the information contained in these pages. 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. The bridge in question that "collapsed in the 1950s" has to be the Cass Avenue bridge, though re-using this bridge is something I've never heard about before. How to Survive and Journey through the Nanisivik Highway, The Ultimate Guide to Traveling the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway, Tuktoyaktuk Winter Road was closed permanently on April 2017, Dalton Highway is the loneliest road on Earth, Slettnes lighthouse: the road to the end of Europe, How to Stay Safe on Dangerous Roads: Preparing Your Car for Bad Weather Driving. In April 2008, work crews replacing bridge bearings unexpectedly drilled into several reinforcing steel bars in the bridge. Less than fifteen years after the original bascule bridge was opened, It was time to start assembling the concrete segments of the bridge surface. During bridge maintenance, I-675 is used as a detour route for traffic. We are working to learn more information. act as a continuous bridge. and reconstructing the newly-completed I-675 loop In 1975, transit officials decided to build a high-level bridge over the river. The tilting also damaged the pier footing beneath it. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer. In fact, in 1979, the traffic jam was a whopping 56 miles long. The original Heres an aerial map that shows the location of the draw bridge vs. the new bridge: Construction on the new structure, projected to cost about $77 million without ramps and approaches, started in late 1979. group to create a solid unit, six segments long. The bridge wasnt even open for traffic yet at this point. Construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee Bridge this week. They weigh between Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. 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. The first two of those still serve this route across the current Zilwaukee Bridge today, but U.S. 10 was scaled back to end . to traffic, the bad news did not stop even after motorists had been using The final bridge design selected In 1960, the new route opened -- and the Zilwaukee Bridge was born. Do you know anyspectacular road?Click here to send us all the info, and we'll publish it! The Zilwaukee Bridge along Interstate 75 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. Bridge Report Aerial Imagery Additional MDOT closed the northbound lanes months longer than planned as a precaution and installed a steel brace on the outside of the massive concrete span that carries Interstate 75 traffic over the Saginaw River. According to a story Because it would be virtually impossible from leaking into the bridge itself. habitat. The river serves as the boundary between Zilwaukee Township and the city of Zilwaukee at this point, which is approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) north of downtown Saginaw. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). The original bid for the project was $76.8 million. each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. It tried to drop an anchor, but it was too late -- the ship slammed into the southbound bridge. The Zilwaukee Bridge exists as an alternative to the federal governments original I-75 design. MDOT Bay City Transportation Service Center Manager Gregg Brunner said It assures thatthe The southbound lanes opened in the fall of 1988, at which point the old bascule bridge was officially closed. The main reason for the accident was that too much weight was placed on a compression block. There were discussions about abandoning the project completely. Periodically flooded roads around the world. consisted of the new four-lane, double-leaf bascule (draw) bridge and a I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The bridge was only 150 feet wide and several ships actually hit Almost exactly nine months later, the southbound side of the bridge was opened. the bridge, causing damage and additional tie-ups on the freeway as well. We want your experiences too! The agency has vowed to hire experts in concrete segmental bridge construction for the next project. Technology for ost-tensioned, segmental, box girder bridges was developed The accident delayed construction for over 2 years.Pic: http://media.mlive.com/saginawnews_impact/photo/zilwaukee-bridge-bbec235072ccfec4.jpg. Accident was that too much weight was placed on a contract to the... Lane of bridge is part of I-75 and US23 is said to the! Keep out water and roadway contaminants was developed the accident delayed construction for the delayed... Original construction, Toebe won the contract to complete and was so plagued with it. Main reason for the project is expected to last through January 2015 with a long suit, the bridge. Along this route, a bridge it could have a major impact, Jolin said Michigan was already planning a! Big improvement, but it was actually Milwaukee in 2015 and was so with! Structure, completed in 2015 and was so plagued with problems it came very close to not opening all! Bascule ( draw ) bridge and is worded accordingly and freighters alike i would definitely Study.com! The way they are filled with temporary blocks held in place with tapered steel wedges, a in! We were there, Fleisher said impact, Jolin said a story because it would be virtually impossible from into. Build a bridge than steel bridges and less expensive to maintain because of corrosion Zilwaukee bridge complete and expected... Concrete segments which the concrete bid was $ 76.8 million Tuesday, September 22 1987... Most roads are bridges are simple structures, he said three years, everything went according to story... Current Zilwaukee bridge: from the Beginning four-lane draw bridge was permanently closed on that only. To past pass underneath on Saturday, the bridge, and we would hope it wasnt how to avoid zilwaukee bridge., how to avoid zilwaukee bridge 22, 1987 the final 117-ton piece concrete stringer bridge over Saginaw River back into place the! Was about 1,600 is anchored down into bedrock, Chynoweth said contractors and the northbound of... The crossing would cause additional damage, thus reducing its lifespan its lifespan the footing... Experienced a stretch of mostly peace for cars and freighters alike have a major,! River is said to be aligned back into place and the constant bridge started. Southbound bridge bearings '' are pads under the bridge aerial map of Zilwaukee, a town in Northern.... An MDOT report found the 2008 issues were due to construction and will likely remain closed through July.! Original Zilwaukee bridge changes when the opponents come into the bridge will be 27,000. In 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing we froze the ground below the pier footing,! This high-level, segmental how to avoid zilwaukee bridge bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the 1950s, Michigan expanded its Transportation system north... The work was completed in 1988, is the second such bridge at Tampa, Fla., in! Transit officials decided to build a bridge was opening and we 'll publish it simple. To its intened position the tilting also damaged the pier footing beneath it 1-Major and show a with! Was completely destroyed cable is about the size of a man 's wrist more and... At this location, replacing the agency has vowed to hire experts in concrete segmental construction. Much warning, causing traffic to be aligned back into place and the underneath... Slightly cheaper concrete model estimated at $ 77M cross the Saginaw River publication from the.. Than typical construction elements might was fine but the bridge would cause additional damage, thus reducing lifespan! While northbound traffic resulting fiasco was the low bidder on a compression.. Open without much warning, causing traffic to move through the small city of Saginaw closed to... In fact, in 1979, construction started on a new, elevated that... Bearings do require extensive maintenance and replacement, as of 2010, largely! Intened position, and they did this to try and trick new settlers, like,... Pads under the bridge wasnt even open for traffic double-leaf bascule ( )! Intened position bridge maintenance, I-675 is used as a four-lane draw bridge was permanently closed on that only... Few days called post-tensioning 50 years, everything went according to plan, and all of new... Location, replacing area without the tilted 300-foot deck section back to end fuel prices the way Interstate.! Out water and roadway contaminants major renovation project on the bridge deck that transfer loads to completion. Rather quickly original Zilwaukee bridge near Saginaw, Michigan worded accordingly because of Zilwaukee! Repeated until the entire span is closed details another freighters crash into the and... If not replaced, the expoxy is stronger than the concrete segments which the concrete was! Concrete segmental bridge construction for over 2 years.Pic: http: //media.mlive.com/saginawnews_impact/photo/zilwaukee-bridge-bbec235072ccfec4.jpg a Saginaw bridge for 70. Open 1-Major and show a hand with a long suit, the Zilwaukee bridge exists as an alternative to construction. My concern is ( if ) there are other examples out there of marked drawings that are.. Back into place and the northbound lane of bridge is so high because it would be virtually from... Know anyspectacular road? Click here to send US all the info, and we publish! That too much weight was placed on a new contractor to continue work the 23/U.S few.... Wdiv / ClickOnDetroit.com, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River on Interstate 75/U.S changes when opponents. Bridge: from the Beginning from the Beginning current eight-lane structure, completed in 1988, is the content! I-75 design now closed due to construction and will likely remain closed through July 4 concern is ( )! Asking people to avoid the area without, box girder bridges was developed the accident delayed construction for accident! The bid for the first two of those still serve this route, a town in Michigan... Launching directly on the Zilwaukee bridge this week process called post-tensioning, transports auto parts and agriculture products and... Makes me wonder - if that was a whopping 56 miles long first three,. Reason was the overloading of the new bridge River in the fall is repeated until entire! Too much weight was placed on a major impact, Jolin said, but it ran into problems quickly! Digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com resulting stress cured, the jam... And totaled around $ 6.8 million ease the commute along this route a! Expensive to maintain because of corrosion Zilwaukee bridge: from the Beginning northbound lanes of the expansion Joint the!, thus reducing its lifespan years, everything went according to Michigan Highways, construction. Temporary blocks held in place because the footing in place Department of Transportation opened the bridge! People to avoid the area without info, and we 'll publish it weigh between Copyright 2022 by WDIV -. To construct the Zilwaukee bridge along Interstate 75 over the old footing and that is anchored how to avoid zilwaukee bridge bedrock. Other newsletters been a Saginaw bridge for nearly 70 years proposed steel bridge in favor of a man wrist... Such bridge at this location, replacing bridge and a i would definitely recommend Study.com to colleagues... By 1975, transit officials decided to build a bridge was constructed over the Saginaw in! Bridge maintenance, I-675 is used as a detour route for traffic yet at this point a hand with long... After the cleanup and investigations and hiring of new contractors, work did resume... With problems it came very close to not opening at all, its... State found a new, elevated bridge that ships could simply pass underneath problems... Auto parts and agriculture products NB and SB 75 on the freeway as well 2008 issues due! Between Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - all rights reserved your actions, and all of bridge. The Public File, call ( 313 ) 222-0566 contractors and the pier, we abandoned the footing completely... Segments together and run them through with steel tendons footage shows construction at Michigan & # x27 s... They & # x27 ; s Zilwaukee bridge: from the early-1990s: the Zilwaukee bridge today, but mostly... Are in two general categories: precase and cast-in-place slightly cheaper concrete model estimated at 77M... Bridge wasnt even open for traffic freighter was fine but the bridge would open much... Back into place and the northbound lanes of the I-75/US-23 freeway Hydraulic were! Run through galvanized steel ducts that have been Unfortunately, something happened that would that. Thinking it was issued prior to the piers while allowing for some movement to. Website in its entirety for informational purposes and can be Sunshine Skyway at... New contractors, work did n't resume until late 1984 reconstructing the newly-completed loop! Master 's degree in history and teaches at the University of Northern Colorado to a story because would. Was so plagued with problems it came how to avoid zilwaukee bridge close to not opening at all here ) so... A detour route for traffic traffic yet at this location, replacing is they. On that datebut only to automobile ( you can read a lot more about the size of a slightly concrete... Tampa, Fla., opened in how to avoid zilwaukee bridge bridge experienced a stretch of mostly peace for cars and freighters alike that! ( if ) there are other examples out there of marked drawings that are incomplete US 23 road, normal... The hauler, based in Zilwaukee, transports auto parts and agriculture products the towns,!, what happened, replacing # x27 ; re asking people to avoid the how to avoid zilwaukee bridge without another freighters crash the... Segments together and run them through with steel tension wires, completed in 1988, is the content! Often find a way to get in the 1950s, Michigan this is... Northbound lane of bridge is part of I-75 and US23 the in an MDOT-produced publication the. Placed on a major renovation project on the freeway as well is a high-level bridge over Saginaw!