The Thomas B. Manuel Bridge
project has moved off the drawing board and into the field. Construction
on the design-build project began in December 2001 after seven months in
the design phase. Misener Marine was awarded the $25 million contract by
the Florida Department of Transportation in March 2001.
Located a 30-minute drive from West Palm Beach, the project over the St.
Lucie Canal consists of constructing a new northbound, high-level bridge
adjacent to the older one. The work also includes modifications to the existing
bridge.
Last December, Florida Gas Transmission Company completed the relocation
of three natural gas pipelines running through the site. That enabled construction
to get started with site mobilization and test piling. The design work wrapped
up in February 2002 when Misener Marine's design partner, URS Corporation,
issued the final drawings for construction. Congratulations and thanks to
Gerry Dillon, who managed the design process for Misener Marine.
This project is one of the first in Florida to be built under the State's
new QC 2000 program requiring the contractor to perform all acceptance testing
on materials used in the project. Congratulations to QC manager John Ward,
for having the first QC Project Quality Control Program approved by the
FDOT. John worked on the Program manual for over four months, working through
seemingly endless revisions.
John has also attended six certification courses to earn the credentials
that FDOT requires of a QC manager. John is now focused on testing concrete
and keeping up with the QC paperwork for the project. Florida will perform
occasional audits and random sampling, but the main QC test responsibility
falls on Misener Marine.
The test pile program was completed in March 2002. Currently the pile driving
is 50 percent completed, and should wrap up in June 2002. In other work,
6 of the 18 land footings have been poured, and the first pier column has
been poured. The pier cap formwork arrived on site in early April.
Site access roads have been installed, and a detour around the southbound
Florida Turnpike is completed. Misener crews have installed the access trestles
for the two water piers, and removed part of the existing fender system
to make room for two piers in the St. Lucie canal.
Work began on the reinforced earth walls at the north and south abutments
in early April. By early summer, the construction will be in full swing,
with nearly all aspects of the substructure work taking place. The 78-foot-deep
bulb-T girders will be set by September. "This project has gotten off
to a good start," says project manager Rob Lewis. " We are working
hard to beat the schedule."
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Prestressed, 24-inch-square concrete piles are being delivered for
the pier foundations of the new bridge. The piles have been driven
at the end bent #22 through pier 18.
At pier 21, Misener Marine crews are installing 30-inch test pile
for the new bridge.
Piles and templates are set up at pier # 21.
Misener Marine crews pour a concrete footing at pier #20 of the Thomas
B. Manuel Bridge. |
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