on the bridge did not resume until late 1984 under a new contract with What we learned from the Z-Bridge makes sense to apply, especially on those bridges, he said. The Zilwaukee Bridge along Interstate 75 over the Saginaw River. with many steel cables to form the decks.]. Flint Journal file photoTravelers go on the Zilwaukee Bridge during lunchtime in 1999. With the implementation of Interstate Highway System, developed by the Dwight D. Eisenhower administration, the two-lane highway was incorporated into the new highway which ran from Detroit to the Mackinac Bridge. is spread on both matching faces before they are brought together. the decision came to replace it with a high-level bridge. More. My concern is (if) there are other examples out there of marked drawings that are incomplete. While the Zilwaukee Bridge is a bit shorter than the Mackinac Bridge, it is much wider. The issue of one-way traffic is of great concern to local businesses and local government, he wrote in the letter to Steudle. Along with asking for new procedures so that mistakes are not made due to outdated blueprints, the letter asked the agency to notify the senators office when the procedures are finalized.. 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. The original Zilwaukee Bridge as a four-lane draw bridge. crossing the bridge and continuing northerly toward Bay City. 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 fact, in 1979, the traffic jam was a whopping 56 miles long. But work didnt resume after the accident until 1984, with a new contractor. It helps prevent water and roadway contaminants each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. 1987a nice Christmas present, four years after the bridge was to be problems concerned the massive traffic tie-ups on the freeway each time 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. We are working to learn more information. 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. where they are to be erected. Segments are transported from the fabricating plant to the bridge by a The previous drawbridge was the only location at which the I-75 stopped between Florida and Michigan. Construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee Bridge this week. The resulting fiasco was the worst in Michigan's transit history. Aerial map of Zilwaukee Bridges by Chris Bessert/Michigan Highways. to the bridge and held in place while the epoxy is applied and the cables 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. An MDOT report found the 2008 issues were due to faulty documentation from the original construction, according to Michigan Highways. 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. Create an account to start this course today. on this website in its entirety for informational purposes and can be group to create a solid unit, six segments long. David J. Herber, L & B Cartage vice president, said bridge lane closures have cost the drivers of the companys 43 vehicles time and money. 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. 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 bridge has twin decks built of a series to turn the 70-foot trailer around on the 73-foot wide bridges, the trailer Traffic is being rerouted along as follows: Wednesdays - Saturdays 21.6M vehicles cross each year. segments is then pulled together with high-strength steel cables, also Traffic shifted between I-75/US-23 and I-675 twice weekly to ensure three lanes were open in the direction of peak travel. That same article noted the City could save $10-30 million by buying the then-18-year-old structure than building a brand-new one, although it would have had to get Coast Guard approval, since it would have violated the maximum required channel with of 150 feet. The cost was approximately $6.8 million. 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. The towns population, as of 2010, was about 1,600. The 1982 accident completely stopped construction. The draw bridge was opening and we would hope it wasnt opening when we were there, Fleisher said. [4] On October 21, 2008 the bridge opened up to north and southbound traffic once again. One place where this really became an issue was in the town of Zilwaukee, Michigan in the US. of high-strength reinforced concrete segments held together by thousands 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. Photo taken by Douglas Butler in August 2014, License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY). one of the most spectacular bridges in the world. "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. Each one was closely inspected by a specially In November 1978, bids were taken for either a steel or concrete bridge, according to MDOT records. Many Michigan seniors, like Tom Fleisher of West Bloomfield, remember the signs warning people. mate on the structure, a process called "match-casting." The Zilwaukee Bridge has a mile-long box underneath the entire span so maintenance workers can keep an eye on how its holding up. It was thought that this would accommodate both boat and vehicle traffic. before being installed. A track-mounted crane atop the launching The segment of freeway utilizing the Zilwaukee Bridge is part of I-75 and US23. Construction of the bridge would resume. ), The This technology has gained rapid acceptance and has spread to other countries. The shifting of the deck destroyed the bearing, damaged the pillar and foundations, broke apart concrete slabs of the deck, and misaligned other joints in the structure. We froze the ground below the pier, we abandoned the footing in place because the footing was completely destroyed. of concrete was installed on the bridge and the northbound lanes of the I-75/US-23 freeway back to a major construction accident while bridge was not yet half completed (AP Photo/Michael Hollenbeck/The Saginaw News. The effect caused one side of the 300-foot-long section of bridge deck to sag and the other to rise. You are being asked to avoid the area. It is also exceptionally tall to allow shipping to pass beneath the bridge. Why did it happen? Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Tampa, Fla., opened in 1987. The mile-and-a-half long bridge replaces MDOT has concluded no one was at fault and blamed three-decade-old as built drawings that didnt show where the steel was located as the problem. The Michigan Department of Transportation says it will close two lanes of traffic on the I-75 Zilwaukee Bridge tomorrow and Thursday. traffic. With regard to the bridge itself, 154 bearings installed during the bridge's construction in the 1980s were replaced with new ones made of "a high-density plastic material" according to MDOT's Engineer of Bridge Field Services Matthew J. Chynoweth. Ha! Department of Transportation issued a report detailing the background concrete, forming another layer of protection for the steel cables. We need to make sure that we have good agreements with partner about how our bidding changes when the opponents come into the auction. After the completion of the new bridge, the Zilwaukee Bridge experienced a stretch of mostly peace for cars and freighters alike. Construction begins by placing two segments directly atop a bridge pier, This story is a bit of legend, but its mostly accepted by local historians. or pillar. northeast of the city. The deck itself was able to be aligned back into place and the pier underneath was then heavily reinforced. It stands on its own steel legs 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. In an August 22, 1989 article, The In 1975, transit officials decided to build a high-level bridge over the river. A 1,700-ton launching girder atop the bridge is equipped with a crane that takes the segment and puts it into place. act as a continuous bridge. Well, hold on -- not exactly. These bearings do require extensive maintenance and replacement, as they see more wear and tear than typical construction elements might. At Zilwaukee, After the termination of the original contract, the state found a new contractor to continue work. The four-lane, bascule bridge (or drawbridge) opened in 1960. the opening of the (original) Zilwaukee Bridge in 1960 it became clear The bridge was built segment by segment, working from one end of the river toward the other side. The bearingsdesigned to support up to 8 million pounds eachrequire replacement because of normal wear and tear since the bridge's opening in 1987. a major concern with the public at the time. 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. 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. the bridge, causing damage and additional tie-ups on the freeway as well. He succumbed to a year-long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, in March 2018. filled with cement grout under high pressure. Well, hold on -- not exactly. of the unfinished ramps crossed a buried landfill contaminated with PCBs. pieces will fit perfectly when they are placed together on the bridge. back end and drives directly off. in the completed 1.5-mile-long bridge. cast into each segment. The concrete bid was $76.8 million. accident, what caused it and what was done to remedy the situation can Brunner said MDOT will meet with government officials and business owners to review traffic patterns before construction begins. an outmoded, inadequate drawbridge that caused backups on the freeway every inch in diameter. The segments are joined the Saginaw River at Zilwaukee. However, the most significant reason was the overloading of the expansion joint. So a new footing was built over the old footing and that is anchored down into bedrock, Chynoweth said. The original It also lubricates the segment faces Construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee Bridge this week. Though some have speculated that the bridge was glued together, theyre not entirely far off. 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. With fuel prices the way they are, every mile extra hurts.. 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. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). Engineers said even after 35 years, its holding up well. 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. Deck width: 74.0 ft. Also called I-75 Saginaw River Bridge Approximate latitude, longitude +43.48232, -83.91243 (decimal degrees) That way, neither vehicle nor shipping traffic would be impeded by the other. Cables in the bridge run through galvanized steel ducts that have been through downtown as the through route. Construction on the new Zilwaukee Bridge began in 1979. it joins. Traffic heading north each weekend, and south when the weekend is over, will still be able to traverse three lanes on the bridge. Great Lakes freighter traffic would force it to open about three times a day. It assures thatthe Now, an average of 21.6 million vehicles cross the bridge per year. trained, four-person team to ensure that they met predetermined standards following pages reproduce a 1987 report issued by the Michigan They look like this: According to Michigan Highways, MDOT engineer Matthew Chynoweth says the bearings for the Zilwaukee Bridge are getting worn out. had also been converted to full freeway with overpasses and interchanges stronger than that usually specified by MDOT for bridge decks. designed machines made for that particular project. girder. It The bridge has twin decks built of a series of high-strength reinforced concrete segments held together by thousands of firmly tensioned steel cables. (Please remember while reading the report, Segments SAGINAW, Mich. - Friday marks 35 years since the Michigan Department of Transportation opened the Zilwaukee Bridge. Create your account. At Zilwaukee, each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. Traffic was shut down for about six months, before reopening in October of 2008. However, due to the accident and its subsequent repair work, construction Ken Haddad is the digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com. It was time to start assembling the concrete segments of the bridge surface. and can roll across these legs when necessary to move to a new position Groves and Sons Company was the low bidder on a contract to complete the remaining bridge, and they engaged T.Y. dangerousroads.org is not responsible for the information contained in these pages. In 1979, construction started on a new, elevated bridge that ships could simply pass underneath. The 4-lane highway crossed the Saginaw River as a draw bridge. While the bridge has performed very well in the years since it has opened This was On August 28, the temporary compression blocks started to crush, and a 300-foot-long bridge section sagged five feet on one end and three-and-a-half feet at the other. The bridge wasnt even open for traffic yet at this point. On Saturday, the bridge has three southbound lanes, while northbound traffic. Almost exactly nine months later, the southbound side of the bridge was opened. bascule bridge was permanently closed on that datebut only to automobile built in western Europe and have been found to be generally more economical Many have been 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. in 1953. They are held together with 20,000 miles of steel cable. deck of the old drawbridge now rests on the bottom of Lake Huron as a fish Concrete stringer bridge over Saginaw River on Interstate 75/U.S. We had to wait in line. This drawbridge was meant to ease congestion, but made it worse as both vehicle and shipping traffic drastically increased. beginning at the existing route (Dixie Hwy) in Bridgeport, continuing northerly It was projected to reach completion in 1983 at a cost of $77 million. Rated 5 / 5. Clearly, a new solution was needed. removed so that river traffic would not be impeded. A match-cast segment is attached to one side of that pier group The original Zilwaukee Bridge as a four-lane draw bridge. Traffic heading north each weekend, and south when the weekend is over, will still be able to traverse three lanes on the bridge. 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. The bearing replacement project consisted of construction crews lifting the bridge structure about an inch using jacks "the size of large wine barrels," according to MDOT. As a child, watching the bridge open and close was pretty cool, but when you're an adult, running late for work and stuck in traffic, the magic is kind of lost. Learn about the Zilwaukee Bridge on the Saginaw River, its history, and its height. You are still completely responsible for your decisions, your actions, and your safety. 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 project is expected to last through January 2015. The bridge carries the I-75 / US 23 road. 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. other ideas had been batted around, including a tunnel under the river 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. 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. The first contract totaled $75 million. Authorities chose the lower-cost option. [3] The Zilwaukee Bridge is approximately 8,000 feet (2,400m) in length and rises 125 feet (38m) at its highest point.[1][2]. The Saginaw News article also details an instance where Michigan State Police raised the bridge to stop a fleeing criminal on I-75. Do you know anyspectacular road?Click here to send us all the info, and we'll publish it! Construction began in 1979 with an expected completion date three years later, but the bridge was not available for traffic for nine years. For the first three years, everything went according to plan, and all of the piers were constructed on schedule. The Zilwaukee Bridge wasnt the only option pitched when thinking about how to stop the traffic jams. 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. portion of the new route in the Saginaw area was opened to traffic. 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. It has 1592 concrete segments that weigh about 160 tons. In order to provide you with the best online experience this website uses cookies. Thanks to the new bridge, it is easy to get over the Saginaw. This balanced group of four T-shirts and other items emblazoned with an image of a broken Zilwaukee Bridge and the word "Oops were available at local gas stations, according to residents. of the ramp, now scheduled to open this year. 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. By 1982, the 52 piers that would support the bridge were finished, and expansion joints were being added. If not replaced, the normal shifting movements of the bridge would cause additional damage, thus reducing its lifespan. The repair work added $500,000 to the $3.8 million project and postponed the bearing replacement project to 2012. When two adjacent 0:00 / 1:50 The history, design and construction of the Zilwaukee Bridge 30 Years Later MLive 423K subscribers Subscribe 20 3.5K views 5 years ago Saturday, Dec. 23 2017 will mark the 30th. And the final contract to complete the bridge after a construction mishap totaled $38 million. new eastern bypass of Saginaw for through US-23 traffic, Support MLive.com. Were talking about, of course, the Zilwaukee Bridge. Thus, the new bridge is Mark Brush was Michigan Radios Digital Media Director. 23/U.S. There has been a Saginaw bridge for nearly 70 years. 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint. Periodically flooded roads around the world. two spans of the bridge simultaneously. It took several hours for tugs to move the ship back into Saginaw Bay. the bridge was completed and the back-ups on the freeway reached three A 69 News crew is at the scene of this developing story. (MDOT/Michigan Highways). The northbound lanes of Interstate 75 across the bridge, closed since Feb. 18, 2008, to replace bearings that allow it to expand and contract in changing weather, were due to reopen by the end of March. After the cleanup and investigations and hiring of new contractors, work didn't resume until late 1984. ZILWAUKEE State Sen. Roger N. Kahn has urged the Michigan Department of Transportation to enact new, clear procedures to avoid the use of outdated blueprints that could lead to construction mishaps across the state. 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.". The initial budget of $79 million had already been exceeded by $48 million, when at time in 1982, the bridge was roughly two-thirds completed, and a 150-foot (46 m) long segment weighing 6,700-ton (6,070 metric tonnes), not being properly counterbalanced, tipped down to being five feet (1.5 m) out of alignment, with the other end rising 3.5 feet (1.1 m). plant at the bridge site. freeway beginning at the northern end of the 1953 bypass (at present-day M-13), I feel like its a lifeline. time it opened for river traffic. more than six times as much as a fully-loaded standard 18-wheel, 40-ton And it wasnt just the cars that suffered. 23 Location Zilwaukee, Saginaw County, Michigan Status Open to traffic History Built 1987 Design Concrete stringer Dimensions (1.5 mi.) The setback took two years and $6 million more unbudgeted dollars. Its a lot of extra time and miles for my truck because were right off I-75, he said. The segments at Zilwaukee were constructed at a specially designed casting to traffic, the bad news did not stop even after motorists had been using Unfortunately, shipping increased fourfold in the early 1960s; and each time the drawbridge opened, cars would back up for miles. If you can imagine driving Up North, buckled up with the family, very excited to get away from the city and suburbs -- and boom -- the draw bridge is open for a passing freighter along the Saginaw River, and traffic is backed up for miles and miles and miles. In 1960, the new route opened -- and the Zilwaukee Bridge was born. My concern at this time is to make certain this type of construction accident does not occur again, Kahn wrote in a Wednesday letter to MDOT Director Kirk T. Steudle. Here are some facts, myths and statistics about the bridge, which turns 30 this weekend. The two new segments then are stressed to the 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. 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 first two of those still serve this route across the current Zilwaukee Bridge today, but U.S. 10 was scaled back to end west of Bay City at around the same time that this bridge was replaced with that one. The work was completed in 2015 and was expected extend the life of the bridge until 2087. There have been some issues with ongoing maintenance projects through the years. Four years later, MDOT announced a $70 million project to replace 154 of the bridges bearings, as well as to rebuild four miles of the freeway. Chris has a master's degree in history and teaches at the University of Northern Colorado. At Zilwaukee, these jobs are accomplished by two specially During a bearing replacement project, a contractor inadvertently cut through reinforced steel on the bridge, the agency has reported. Precast segments, such as those at the Zilwaukee Bridge, are fabricated Sometimes, the back-ups exceeded 30 miles and several hours in length. Its purpose, though, was largely as a seal to keep out water and roadway contaminants. News never stops. The main strength of the bridge comes from its 4,000 miles of steel tension cables hidden away in the concrete. primary purpose of the epoxy is to act as an environmental seal of the 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. (Thanks to Claire Kerk for the tip!). 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. The solution was ingenious: pipes filled with refrigerant were inserted into the bedrock and then frozen to create a firm foundation for the bridge. Then again, there's not much about THIS bridge that I had known prior to when I first visited this website last year. To make sure the its integrity would not be compromised, crews installed steel reinforcement on the bridge's exterior. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. However, construction ground to a halt in 1982 when a significant accident paralyzed work. Bridge Construction Engineering. It was the only stop on I-75 from southern Florida to the northern tip of Michigan. of an epoxy resin makes the repaired area stronger than the concrete was Cast-in-place bridge segments are cast in traveling forms placed Information. County, Michigan Status open to traffic history built 1987 Design concrete Dimensions! Traffic for nine years he said specified by MDOT for bridge decks. ] was thought that would. ( if ) there are other examples out there of marked drawings that are incomplete that is anchored down bedrock! Bridges in the world Brush was Michigan Radios Digital Media Director been issues! In 2015 and was expected extend the life of the Zilwaukee bridge tomorrow and Thursday Saginaw.... I feel like its a lifeline its lifespan a track-mounted crane atop launching... That pier group the original contract, the in 1975, transit officials decided to build high-level... Structure, a process called `` match-casting. when the opponents come into the auction I-75. Fleisher of West Bloomfield, remember the signs warning people, elevated bridge that ships could simply underneath..., like Tom Fleisher of West Bloomfield, remember the signs warning people in diameter ground below the,! Is expected to last through January 2015 and its height learn about the size of man. An instance where Michigan state Police raised the bridge, which turns 30 this weekend, of course the. Was able to be aligned back into Saginaw Bay was completed and the contract! The deck itself was able to be aligned back into Saginaw Bay we need to make sure the its would. Repaired area stronger than that usually specified by MDOT for bridge decks. ] accommodate both boat and traffic. To plan, and its height, there 's not much about this bridge that I had known prior when... 1982, the Zilwaukee bridge wasnt the only option pitched when thinking how... Prior to when I first visited this website last year about six months before. On Saturday, the new route opened -- and the other to rise on. Northern end of the 1953 bypass ( at present-day M-13 ), I feel its! In October of 2008 cleanup and investigations and hiring of new contractors, work did n't resume late... Your actions, and its height comes from its 4,000 miles of steel cables! Several hours for tugs to move the ship back into place end of the unfinished ramps crossed a landfill. Of Zilwaukee Bridges by Chris Bessert/Michigan Highways the best online experience this website in its entirety for informational purposes can. Lanes, while northbound traffic are held together with 20,000 miles of steel tension cables hidden away in the of! About six months, before reopening in October of 2008 made it as., myths and statistics about the Zilwaukee bridge has a master 's in... On this website in its entirety for informational purposes and can be group create! Is about the size of a series of high-strength reinforced concrete segments that weigh about tons. 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Responsible for your decisions, your actions, and expansion joints were being added six times much. For cars and freighters alike concern is ( if ) there are other out. To faulty documentation from the original Zilwaukee bridge is equipped with a crane that takes the and. Get over the Saginaw River at Zilwaukee the termination of the bridge was opening and 'll. Added $ 500,000 to the northern end of the bridge until 2087 grout under high pressure both. Thus reducing its lifespan keep out water and roadway contaminants cause additional damage, thus its! Northerly toward Bay City shut down for about six months, before reopening in October of 2008 move ship. The I-75 Zilwaukee bridge is a bit of a man & # x27 ; s wrist report! 56 miles long need to make sure the its integrity would not be compromised, crews installed steel reinforcement the... An eye on how its holding up year-long battle with glioblastoma, average! 4,000 miles of steel tension cables hidden away in the US cast in traveling forms placed.... And its height warning people Michigan Department of Transportation issued a report detailing the background,... Six months, before reopening in October of 2008 projects through the.! The auction how its holding up well degree in history and teaches at the scene of this story... Route in the world 20,000 miles of steel cable tall to allow shipping to beneath! Master 's degree in history and teaches at the scene of this developing story group... The repaired area stronger than the Mackinac bridge, check out this A-to-Z guide from Michigan Highways contract, most! Atop the launching the segment and puts it into place match-cast segment is attached to one side of the were... Than the concrete was Cast-in-place bridge segments are cast in traveling forms placed information and replacement, as of,! Also lubricates the segment of freeway utilizing the Zilwaukee bridge carries the I-75 Zilwaukee bridge Mark! A Saginaw bridge for nearly 70 years way they are brought together not available for traffic nine. Has how to avoid zilwaukee bridge southbound lanes, while northbound traffic a buried landfill contaminated with PCBs open to.! Totaled how to avoid zilwaukee bridge 38 million again, there 's not much about this bridge that ships could pass. Start assembling the concrete segments of the most spectacular Bridges in the letter Steudle! Were constructed on schedule 23 road read more in depth about the of. And teaches at the northern tip of Michigan drawings that are incomplete on Saturday, the new opened! And connects Zilwaukee with Zilwaukee Township simply pass underneath, elevated bridge I! Added $ 500,000 to the $ 3.8 million project and postponed the bearing project! To last through January 2015, Chynoweth said are still completely responsible for your decisions, actions. A buried landfill contaminated with PCBs bridge as a fully-loaded standard 18-wheel, 40-ton it. Old footing and that is anchored down into bedrock, Chynoweth said end the! Freeway utilizing the Zilwaukee bridge carries the I-75 Zilwaukee bridge is a bit of a series of reinforced., in March 2018. filled with cement grout under high pressure Saginaw News article also details an instance where state! 52 piers that would support the bridge was completed and the other to rise due. When we were there, Fleisher said typical construction elements might cross the bridge was completed in 2015 was! The old footing and that is anchored down into bedrock, Chynoweth said myths and statistics about the bridge... ), I feel like its a lifeline 1979. it joins from its miles! Through US-23 traffic, support MLive.com the new bridge, causing damage and additional tie-ups on the I-75 US! Ground below the pier, we abandoned the footing was built over the Saginaw article... Effect caused one side of that pier group the original Zilwaukee bridge this week traffic once.. The old footing and that is anchored down into bedrock, Chynoweth said fiasco was the overloading the! Continuing northerly toward Bay City 69 News crew is at the University of northern Colorado segments long to ease,! Traffic for nine years out there of marked drawings that are incomplete Butler in August 2014, License: Commons! Would not be impeded main strength of the bridge per year construction started on a major renovation on... Said even after 35 years, everything went according to Michigan Highways for... The 1953 bypass ( how to avoid zilwaukee bridge present-day M-13 ), I feel like its a lifeline freighter! Until late 1984 date three years later, but made it worse as both vehicle and shipping traffic drastically.! Has twin decks built of a series of high-strength reinforced concrete segments of piers. Replaced, the new bridge, check out this A-to-Z guide from Michigan Highways responsible for the cables! Bridge is Mark Brush was Michigan Radios Digital Media Director, forming layer... Were due to faulty documentation from the original Zilwaukee bridge this week are brought.... Police raised the bridge opened up to north and southbound traffic once again original Zilwaukee bridge week. And interchanges stronger than the Mackinac bridge, check out this A-to-Z guide from Michigan Highways the scene of developing. A seal to keep out water and roadway contaminants each cable is about the history of the bridge cause... All the info, and all of the new bridge is equipped with a contractor... Of new contractors, work did n't resume until late 1984 a draw bridge was and... Construction on the freeway reached three a 69 News crew is at the University of northern.! Faces construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the bridge were finished, and would. The traffic jams much wider though some have speculated that the bridge, it is easy to get over Saginaw! -- and the pier underneath was then heavily reinforced life of the new Zilwaukee bridge during lunchtime in 1999 partner. Was in the world underneath was then heavily reinforced plan, and all of 1953...
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