- 2 min read
- Posted on 06.22.10
Rich Bradley is the City's top engineer. His guest blog item talks about the Grand Ave. Bridge project:
By the end of this summer, the Board of Public Service, HDR, Inc. and O.R. Colan & Associates will be completing the design and Right Of Way acquisition for the new $25M Grand Blvd. Viaduct project between Chouteau to the south and the I-64 Ramps on the north. This project will replace the existing viaduct that was constructed in 1959. The new bridge will be a series of three bridges with retained fill sections between them. These retained fill sections between the bridges and on the approaches will contain approximately 30,000 cubic yards of expanded polystyrene blocks as fill due to the predominance of saturated clay soils underlying the Mill Creek Valley.
The new bridge will be 96 feet wide, which is 16 feet wider than the existing bridge. It will have four 12 foot lanes (2 in each direction), two 6 foot bicycle lanes (1 in each direction) and a 13 foot separated sidewalk on each side. The new bridge will also have a raised and irrigated 9 foot wide center median that will be landscaped and maintained by St. Louis University.
MetroLink will also be rebuilding the Grand Ave. station in conjunction with the new Grand Blvd. Viaduct Project. In order to accommodate the Metro buses, a 150 long, 10 foot wide bus turnout lane will be constructed above the new MetroLink Station.
Architecturally, the bridge will have decorative concrete, railings and new lighting. The key architectural feature will be bump out areas on the four corners of the bridge for the installation of 57 feet high decorative towers constructed of brick and steel. These towers will be reminiscent of those on the original bridge structure at this location.
During the construction, the primary detour routes will be Compton, Vandeventer and Jefferson.
The project is scheduled to be completed in 12 months after the beginning of construction pending any weather delays.
