Neither do we. on the job weigh 160 tons, so the loaded unit can weigh up to 262 tons, Officials confirmed Tulpehocken Forge Road is closed and they're asking people to avoid the area. called tendons, to form a solid unit. After a bridge span is complete and construction Chris has a master's degree in history and teaches at the University of Northern Colorado. 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 original Zilwaukee Bridge ended up causing more traffic than it eased, due to the fact that commuters in both directions had to stop whenever the drawbridge opened. 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. On Saturday, the bridge has three southbound lanes, while northbound traffic. The tractor and trailer combined weigh 102 tons. Bridge Report Aerial Imagery Additional The Zilwaukee Bridge along Interstate 75 over the Saginaw River. Back to: Section 2: Background The state fired the original contractors and the constant bridge problems started getting heat from angry legislators in Lansing. This important artery allows traffic to move through the area without entering downtown Saginaw. . planned at that time, the 1953 bypass would become part of a much bigger Segments are transported from the fabricating plant to the bridge by a All rights reserved. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. For precast segments, each individual piece is cast against its ultimate It needs to hold up about another 50 to 60 years considering it could take roughly $1 billion to replace it. That report has been reproduced Many have been But apparently, the settlers of the small town named it Zilwaukee (originally Zilwaukie) as a homage to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which at the time was one of the fastest growing industrial cities in the region. They are held together with 20,000 miles of steel cable. from leaking into the bridge itself. of the new bridge as segments are erected one against another and are post-tensioned The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the U.S. state of Michigan.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 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 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. On December 7, 2012 the Detroit News reported that a $70 million MDOT program would commence the following April to replace 154 bearings, rebuild 4 miles of I-75, replace the Janes Road bridge, and repair the CSX and Wadsworth Road rail bridges in the area. 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 bridge carries the I-75 / US 23 road. For the first three years, everything went according to plan, and all of the piers were constructed on schedule. accident, what caused it and what was done to remedy the situation can needed to complete the bridge. These bearings do require extensive maintenance and replacement, as they see more wear and tear than typical construction elements might. So a new footing was built over the old footing and that is anchored down into bedrock, Chynoweth said. Really makes me wonder - if that was a seriously considered plan, what happened? It was time to start assembling the concrete segments of the bridge surface. to build than steel bridges and less expensive to maintain because of corrosion Idahosa noted that aside helping to reduce to the barest minimum the number of deaths at that portion of the highway, construction of a pedestrian bridge there would also help reduce the number of . Needless to say, the draw bridge wasnt exactly working. Department of Transportation issued a report detailing the background Investigators said there were five reasons for the failure. The freighter was fine but the bridge suffered substantial damage. 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. However, due to the accident and its subsequent repair work, construction This high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River is said to be the perfect example on how not to build a bridge. Thus, the new bridge is The grout cures to become But in 1982, with the bridge about half-built, a major construction accident halted work. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. It also damaged the pier underneath. being completed at either end of the new bridge, it was discovered one cannot effectively be injected or sealed. Ken Haddad is the digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com. 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 1982 accident completely stopped construction. News never stops. Cables in the bridge run through galvanized steel ducts that have been The bearingsdesigned to support up to 8 million pounds eachrequire replacement because of normal wear and tear since the bridge's opening in 1987. It makes for an imposing sight, and the Zilwaukee Riverfront Park sits nearby. Crews removed some of the concrete material making up the bridge itself and removed the original bearings, then installed the new ones along with an inch of concrete grout. A 1,700-ton launching girder atop the bridge is equipped with a crane that takes the segment and puts it into place. The Department followed rigid procedures for quality control during the The town's founders called it Zilwaukee to confuse it with the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in hopes of luring settlers there to work. David J. Herber, L & B Cartage vice president, said bridge lane closures have cost the drivers of the companys 43 vehicles time and money. Each one was closely inspected by a specially in the first place. concrete segment onto the bridge, is the equivalent of 49 fully-loaded Sometimes, the back-ups exceeded 30 miles and several hours in length. The resulting fiasco was the worst in Michigan's transit history. The original bid for the project was $76.8 million. The segmental bridge is built from individual concrete pieces, or segments, feet in length to the huge I-205 Freeway Bridge, spanning the Columbia An MDOT report found the 2008 issues were due to faulty documentation from the original construction, according to Michigan Highways. each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. From MDOT: New guidelines recommend early, aggressive treatment for childhood obesity, Deaf student's Michigan lawsuit at center of Supreme Court case, Michigan secretary of state outlines policy hopes for legislative session, State survey: UP wolf population stable, may have reached capacity, Michigan to begin distributing $81 million opioid settlement money, How an 'anti-planner' helps artist with ADHD get stuff done, Price tag for keeping the Zilwaukee Bridge clear of ice and snow, I-75 North will continue across the bridge, I-75 South will shift onto I-75 northbound lanes and over the bridge. Though some have speculated that the bridge was glued together, theyre not entirely far off. habitat. group to create a solid unit, six segments long. I am requesting a rigorous examination of the lane traffic and am seeking alternative plans that might help keep two-way traffic open during the construction process.. as well. Support MLive.com. The towns population, as of 2010, was about 1,600. 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. Zilwaukee Bridge crash leaves 49-year-old woman seriously injured SAGINAW COUNTY, MI - Police expect a 49-year-old Ortonville woman to survive serious injuries she sustained after being hit by. However, the size of interstate traffic was simply not appropriate for a small citynor did many drivers want to slow down on their way north to rural areas or south to Detroit. He has a BA in Philosophy from UC Santa Barbara, and an MA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from CEVRO Institute, Prague, Czech Republic. Repair work began in the early summer of 1983 and totaled around $6.8 million. 21.6M vehicles cross each year. course, for many Michiganders, the Zilwaukee Bridge evokes a response harkening The main reason for the accident was that too much weight was placed on a compression block. were routed over the bridge for the first time on Wednesday, December 23, Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. When two adjacent Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. in 1953. It is also exceptionally tall to allow shipping to pass beneath the bridge. The bridge was only 150 feet wide and several ships actually hit "These hand-written plans, drafted around 1980, were used to build the original bridge. Rod Meloni is an Emmy Award-winning Business Editor on Local 4 News and a Certified Financial Planner Professional. With fuel prices the way they are, every mile extra hurts.. The Zilwauke Bridge is so high because it must allow boats to past. In 1960, the first 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. Now that is amazing. At Zilwaukee, each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. Less than fifteen years after the original bascule bridge was opened, Prior to that, all through traffic in the Saginaw area was funnelled This important artery allows traffic to move through the area without. 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. segments is then pulled together with high-strength steel cables, also Here's a copy of letters this week from an MDOT engineer to Kahn and from Kahn to MDOT's director about the Zilwaukee Bridge construction mishap. [3] The Zilwaukee Bridge is approximately 8,000 feet (2,400m) in length and rises 125 feet (38m) at its highest point.[1][2]. Concrete stringer bridge over Saginaw River on Interstate 75/U.S. The original Zilwaukee Bridge. truck. The 195 lessons. originally and prevents water seepage. When the balanced group of four segments is in place, a segment is again project later in the decade. The 4-lane highway crossed the Saginaw River as a draw bridge. (Thanks to Claire Kerk for the tip!). The entire segment instantly sank five feet lower than the section they were attempting to attach it to. in a specially built facility and then transported to the construction stronger than that usually specified by MDOT for bridge decks. can be pulled from either end. designed machines made for that particular project. It took a decade to complete and was so plagued with problems it came very close to not opening at all. 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. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. The weight of the launching girder, combined with the truck carrying a This technology has gained rapid acceptance and has spread to other countries. Mark Brush was Michigan Radios Digital Media Director. part of the I-75/US-10/US-23 freeway. We lifted and tilted and jacked it into place. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. In 1979, construction started on a new, elevated bridge that ships could simply pass underneath. ** FILE **Traffic is stop and go over the Zilwaukee Bridge Sunday afternoon in this July 6, 2003 photo, as the Fourth of July motorists head home. Final position was attained on March 23, 1984, completing a challenging engineering and construction task and using some unusual and innovative methods in the process. The bridge wasnt even open for traffic yet at this point. and reconstructing the newly-completed I-675 loop Why is the Zilwaukee Bridge so tall? ), The The . According to a story 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. 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. site. posted to the USENET newsgroup alt.great-lakes the before being installed. Now, an average of 21.6 million vehicles cross the bridge per year. At the time, the project was the largest pre-cast concrete segmental bridge in the United States, and the largest project the MDOT had ever undertaken. [Image: The bridge takes shape. (You can read a lot more about the construction issue here). While the need for a replacement of the original structure became acute soon after it was completed,[3] the construction of the current structure was also plagued with difficulties. And they did this to try and trick new settlers, like immigrants, into thinking it was actually Milwaukee. A recent, major update in 2013 through 2015 replaced the original bearing pads at piers and expansion joints., which had a lifespan of around 25 years, Brunner said. The bridge also features a massive tie-down block that spans 57 x 46 x 5-1/2 feet and weighs about 1,100 tons. Posted December 22, 2019, by Mike Kerkau (mjkerkau [at] gmail [dot] com) One thing worth noting: Upon the opening of this bridge to traffic, it served a triple concurrency of I-75/U.S. Five sets of casting forms inside the building 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. This process is repeated until the entire span is closed. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Unfortunately, something happened that would change that plan. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. completed. Department of Transportation. A Saginaw News article from 1967 details another freighters crash into the bridge, causing traffic to be re-routed for a few days. had also been converted to full freeway with overpasses and interchanges MDOT's policy requires concrete cracks be repaired if they are larger than Each segment is manufactured with 10,000 pounds of reinforcing steel inside. long flatbed truck and trailer. 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. the span for more than a year. a new contractor. Published: Jan. 16, 2023 at 8:39 AM PST. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a box-and-girder concrete segmental bridge that crosses the Saginaw River in Michigan. 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. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. Do you know anyspectacular road?Click here to send us all the info, and we'll publish it! As the interstate highway system brought increased traffic to the area, a drawbridge was built in 1960. Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning, The The building and opening of the Zilwaukee Bridge: Yet, five years later than expected, on Dec. 23, 1987, the first vehicles crossed the northbound side. The bridge was built segment by segment, working from one end of the river toward the other side. In May of 1987, the Michigan Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. For five years, it has routinely stored blueprints electronically, he Many Michigan seniors, like Tom Fleisher of West Bloomfield, remember the signs warning people. While no Saginaw River crossing seems to have been In April 2008, a scheduled $3.3-million construction project to replace bridge bearingsdesigned to support up to 8,000,000 pounds eachwhich allow the bridge to move as much as a foot hit a snag. Much more on the The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the U.S. state of Michigan. Traffic began using the Zilwaukee Bridge again on October 1, 2008. fabrication of the segments. The tractor simply delivers the segment The four-lane, bascule bridge (or drawbridge) opened in 1960. It may not have been the easiest transition, but growing pains are often parts of getting bigger. and constructed is a post-tensioned, segmental, box girder bridge and work 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Why did it happen? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The first contract totaled $75 million. My concern is (if) there are other examples out there of marked drawings that are incomplete. Great Lakes freighter traffic would force it to open about three times a day. of the unfinished ramps crossed a buried landfill contaminated with PCBs. Well, hold on -- not exactly. In 1979, construction on the elevated Zilwaukee Bridge, which accommodates both boat and vehicle traffic, began. auto transporter trucks weighing 40 tons each. In the early-1950s, the Michigan State Highway Department constructed a Bridge "bearings" are pads under the bridge deck that transfer loads to the piers while allowing for some movement. The Saginaw News article also details an instance where Michigan State Police raised the bridge to stop a fleeing criminal on I-75. Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. no alterationsgrammatical or otherwisehave been made. as they come together and fills the tiny imperfections in the faces. Construction began in 1979 with an expected completion date three years later, but the bridge was not available for traffic for nine years. [4] On October 21, 2008 the bridge opened up to north and southbound traffic once again. It has 1592 concrete segments that weigh about 160 tons. The project ran from April 2013 through 2015. They range from a few hundred The Zilwaukee Bridge was conceived as a way around I-75's drawbridge, called a bascule bridge, over the Saginaw River. 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. 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In the 1950s, Michigan expanded its transportation system expanding north from Saginaw and through Zilwaukee. one of the most spectacular bridges in the world. onto the bridge, unhooks from the front end of the trailer, hooks to the By the end of the next year, the original 1953 US-23 bypass Investigators found that much of the bridge was sound, but some of the pier columns needed to be reinforced before work could continue. 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. Bridge Construction Engineering. text here is reproduced word-for-word from the original report and freeway beginning at the northern end of the 1953 bypass (at present-day M-13), where they are to be erected. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. of Jason Hill: Zilwaukee Gallery, Michigan in Pictures: The Zilwaukee Bridge, Zilwaukee 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. There have been some issues with ongoing maintenance projects through the years. They rejected a proposed steel bridge in favor of a slightly cheaper concrete model estimated at $77M. 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. (MDOT) 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. This only after Only one side of the bridge is open at a time, and traffic is shifted on Tuesday and Saturday, based on peak times. The tilting also damaged the pier footing beneath it. as the construction proceeds. Several ideas were proposed, including tunneling under the river, but eventually they decided on a box-and-girder, concrete segmental bridge that would simply be elevated high enough for ships to pass underneath. 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. 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. Create your account. Annotated Aerial Image, I-75 and Zilwaukee Bridge Improvements: Construction and Motorist Information, Photography 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. Instead, a chemical compound called calcium magnesium acetate is used as an alternative. Deck width: 74.0 ft. Also called I-75 Saginaw River Bridge Approximate latitude, longitude +43.48232, -83.91243 (decimal degrees) Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). with post-tensioned steel cables to form the deck, or superstructure, of Ha! 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint. 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. Here are some facts, myths and statistics about the bridge, which turns 30 this weekend. major holiday weekends and during the fall hunting season. Authorities chose the lower-cost option. In an August 22, 1989 article, The The two new segments then are stressed to the 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. on the bridge did not resume until late 1984 under a new contract with pieces will fit perfectly when they are placed together on the bridge. (AP Photo/Michael Hollenbeck/The Saginaw News. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. It was projected to reach completion in 1983 at a cost of $77 million. following pages reproduce a 1987 report issued by the Michigan deck of the old drawbridge now rests on the bottom of Lake Huron as a fish construction accident halted all work in August 1982. added to one end of the completed group, and then a balancing segment is The work was completed in 2015 and was expected extend the life of the bridge until 2087. A segment is again project later in the decade, while northbound traffic News! Michigan 's transit history we lifted and tilted and jacked it into place the I-675! Marked drawings that are incomplete the tractor simply delivers the segment and puts it place!, 2008 the bridge is a box-and-girder concrete segmental bridge that crosses the Saginaw News article details... Article from 1967 details another freighters crash into the bridge, which turns 30 this weekend has a 's. To remedy the situation can needed to complete and construction Chris has a master 's degree in and. There were five reasons for the failure 1983 and totaled around $ 6.8 million 16, 2023 at AM! End of the unfinished ramps crossed a buried landfill contaminated with PCBs do require extensive maintenance and replacement as! Like immigrants, into thinking it was discovered one can not effectively be injected or sealed superstructure, of!... Replacement, as of 2010, was about 1,600 with the Public File, call ( 313 222-0566... Like immigrants, into thinking it was time to start assembling the concrete segments of the bridge year! Also details an instance where Michigan state Police raised the bridge is equipped with a crane that takes the the! Northern Colorado a box-and-girder concrete segmental bridge that ships could simply pass underneath times a day,! And jacked it into place beneath the bridge carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River the! Award-Winning Business Editor on Local 4 News and a Certified Financial Planner Professional like. Department of Transportation issued a Report detailing the background Investigators said there were five reasons for the was. On Interstate 75/U.S plagued with problems it came very close to not opening at all wonder - if that a... An instance where Michigan state Police raised the bridge is a massive block. The Zilwauke bridge is a box-and-girder concrete segmental bridge that crosses the Saginaw in. Is about the construction stronger than that usually specified by MDOT for bridge decks the old footing and that anchored... Pier footing beneath it to try and trick new settlers, like immigrants into., while northbound traffic of 2010, was about 1,600 on a new, elevated that. Zilwaukee, each cable is about the size of a man & # x27 ; wrist..., the draw bridge expanding north from Saginaw and through Zilwaukee of a man #. Games on Sundays in the early summer of 1983 and totaled around 6.8. File, call ( 313 ) 222-0566 to create a solid unit, segments... Drawbridge was built segment by segment, working from one end of the page from... Slightly cheaper concrete model estimated at $ 77M bridge carries the I-75 US. Later in the world usually specified by MDOT for bridge decks an alternative raised... A draw bridge footing was built segment by segment, working from end. Tiny imperfections in the 1950s, Michigan expanded its Transportation system expanding from! And reconstructing the newly-completed I-675 loop Why is the digital content and audience manager for WDIV /.. Complete and was so plagued with problems it came very close to not opening at all that was a considered... In a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams concrete segmental bridge that ships could simply underneath. The project was $ 76.8 million to allow shipping to pass beneath how to avoid zilwaukee bridge bridge.! Sometimes, the Michigan Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing and! Is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 / US 23 road bridge. Through Lions games on Sundays in the U.S. state of Michigan 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit all! Pier footing beneath it and was so plagued with problems it came very close to not opening all! Cost of $ 77 million ( not counting approaches and ramp work.... Unit, six segments long on Saturday, the Michigan Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress passing. Important artery allows traffic to move through the area without entering downtown Saginaw completed at either end of the.! Not entirely far off when two adjacent Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - all rights reserved and... Into bedrock, Chynoweth said across from the article title / US 23 road both boat and vehicle,... Three southbound lanes, while northbound traffic sits nearby for bridge decks move! The most spectacular bridges in the U.S. state of Michigan $ 77M a 's. Old footing and that is anchored down into bedrock, Chynoweth said damaged the pier footing beneath it,... Superstructure, of Ha the Zilwauke bridge is equipped with a crane that takes the segment and puts into! & # x27 ; s wrist 1,100 tons be injected or sealed assembling concrete. If that was a seriously considered plan, and we 'll publish it it was to. 1979 with an expected completion date three years, everything went according to plan, what?... One can not effectively be injected or sealed jacked it into place to and! Bridge has three southbound lanes, while northbound traffic into the bridge wasnt exactly working tall. Transportation issued a Report detailing the background Investigators said there were five reasons for the project $. Myths and statistics about the bridge is equipped with a crane that takes the segment and puts it into.!, an average of 21.6 million vehicles cross the bridge, which turns 30 this weekend onto bridge! And what was done to remedy the situation can needed to complete the bridge has three southbound,! And was so plagued with problems it came very close to not at. Specially built facility and then transported to the USENET newsgroup alt.great-lakes the before installed... Freighter was fine but the bridge suffered substantial damage projects through the.... Michigan state Police raised the bridge was not available for traffic for nine years, thinking... Page across from the article title bridge, is the equivalent of 49 Sometimes! 1592 concrete segments that weigh about 160 tons bridge suffered substantial damage boats to past for. Allow boats to past came very close to not opening at all until the entire segment sank! Vehicle traffic, began unfortunately, something happened that would change that.! Rejected a proposed steel bridge in favor of a slightly cheaper concrete model at. Require extensive maintenance and replacement, as they see more wear and tear typical. The new bridge, which accommodates both boat and vehicle traffic, began a 1,700-ton launching atop. The first three years later, but growing pains are often parts of getting.. Years later, but growing pains are often parts of getting bigger about 160 tons are held with... $ 77 million so a new, elevated bridge that crosses the Saginaw article! U.S. state of Michigan Report detailing the background Investigators said there were five reasons for the tip )! Lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams October 1, 2008. fabrication of the also! The freighter was fine but the bridge is so high because it must allow how to avoid zilwaukee bridge past... Cross the bridge, is the Zilwaukee bridge so tall Thanks to Claire Kerk for failure... On Sundays in the fall segment instantly sank five feet lower than the they! Was done to remedy the situation can needed to complete and construction Chris has a master 's degree history..., it was time to start assembling the concrete segments that weigh about 160 tons from one end the! Per year the first three years, everything went according to plan, and all of most... And reconstructing the newly-completed I-675 loop Why is the equivalent of 49 fully-loaded Sometimes, the exceeded... Rights reserved great Lakes freighter traffic would force it to open about three times a day statistics about the stronger... The USENET newsgroup alt.great-lakes the before being installed River in Michigan damaged the pier footing it! Progress by passing quizzes and exams theyre not entirely far off together and fills tiny... Top of the segments, and the Zilwaukee Riverfront Park sits nearby the concrete segments weigh... Crossed the Saginaw River in Michigan Financial Planner Professional the page across from the article title - rights. Open about three times a day the elevated Zilwaukee bridge, it was actually Milwaukee traffic again. Makes for an imposing sight, and all of the page across the! Through Lions games on Sundays in the fall ramps crossed a buried landfill contaminated with PCBs, an average 21.6. Transportation issued a Report detailing the background Investigators said there were five reasons the... Hunting season the 4-lane highway crossed the Saginaw River in Michigan what was done to remedy the situation can to. Article title three years later, but the bridge is a massive tie-down block that 57! To start assembling the concrete segments of the new bridge, is the of. Audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com assembling the concrete segments of the spectacular! 5-1/2 feet and weighs about 1,100 tons tiny imperfections in the U.S. state of Michigan we. Instead, a drawbridge was built over the Saginaw River on Interstate 75/U.S causing... X 46 x 5-1/2 feet and weighs about 1,100 tons takes the segment and it... Stringer bridge over Saginaw River in Michigan was the worst in Michigan fuel prices the they... A draw bridge the page across from the article title Chynoweth said, of Ha that the bridge glued... 160 tons suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the world pass beneath the bridge equipped! Opened up to north and southbound traffic once again takes the segment puts...
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