[Durham INC] Durham Installs American Tobacco Trail Bridge April 28

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

News Media Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov 

http://Facebook.com/CityofDurhamNC 

http://Twitter.com/CityofDurhamNC    

 

For Immediate Release: April 23, 2013

 

 

Durham Installs New American Tobacco Trail Bridge April 28

Bridge Installation Will Temporarily Alter Overnight Traffic on
Interstate 40 

 

DURHAM, N.C. - The long-awaited installation of the American Tobacco
Trail pedestrian bridge over Interstate 40 will begin overnight this
weekend and motorists are asked to take note of planned traffic detours.

 

On Sunday, April 28 between midnight and 7 a.m., the City of Durham's
contractor, Blythe Construction, Inc., will close Interstate 40 between
N.C. Highway 751 and Fayetteville Road to set the new bridge in place on
its foundations by crane. In the following weeks the City's contractor
will begin installing the bridge deck, fencing, lighting, and other
elements. Four partially pre-assembled sections of the 270 foot long
bridge arrived last week and are now being assembled on the northern
shoulder of Interstate 40 in preparation for the April 28 set date. 

 

Local traffic will exit Interstate 40 and return at the next exit using
Renaissance Parkway heading east and N.C. Highway 54 heading west. Major
through-traffic will be informed via message boards to use N.C. Highway
147 to avoid the local traffic detour.  

 

The bridge is still on schedule for completion in July 2013, despite the
recent foundation difficulties. The City's contractor discovered that
their surveyor made an error in the layout of the foundation, and four
of the eight bridge piers were 2.5 feet too high. The resolution of the
problem required a quick engineered solution by the City's consultant
engineering firm, Parsons Brinckerhoff. The correction used a shallow
cut into to the concrete with a saw at the proper elevation and
jackhammers to remove concrete above the cut, being careful not to
disturb the steel rebar cage. All repairs have been completed and the
cost of the repair was borne by the City's contractor.  

 

Once completed later this summer, this $9 million construction project
will extend the American Tobacco Trail from its current end point on
N.C. Highway 54 at Fayetteville Street to the Chatham County line. The
length of trail to be constructed by this project is approximately 4.2
miles and includes the pedestrian bridge over Interstate 40. The
pedestrian bridge is located just west of Fayetteville Street and the
connection to the trail heading south will be located near the Streets
at Southpoint Mall. Funding for the project is being provided from a
variety of sources including federal funds from the North Carolina
Department of Transportation and the City of Durham Sidewalk Bond fund. 

 

To learn more about this project or to view conceptual images of the new
bridge visit 
http://durhamnc.gov/ich/op/pwd/consproj/Pages/SW-24-ATT.aspx or contact
Contract Management Supervisor Edward Venable, PE, with the City's
Public Works Department at (919) 560-4326, ext. 30233 or by email at 
Ed.Venable at DurhamNC.gov. 

 

About the Public Works Department

The City of Durham Public Works Department provides a wide range of
services, including street maintenance, engineering design, development
review and stormwater quality and infrastructure maintenance. The
department also oversees street resurfacing and sidewalk projects. The
department plans and executes the City's winter weather and natural
disaster plans. Public Works serves as a steward of the City's physical
assets and ensures that residents live in a safe, secure, and thriving
community. For more information, visit http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/op/pwd
<http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/op/pwd> .

 

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