SAGINAW, Mich. Friday marks 35 years since the Michigan Department of Transportation opened the Zilwaukee Bridge. It assures thatthe part of the I-75/US-10/US-23 freeway. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. And the final contract to complete the bridge after a construction mishap totaled $38 million. Others just marvel at its vast span and view of the Saginaw River. A contingent of lawmakers planned to tour the bridge today after a Saginaw News investigation sparked inquiries about the agencys investigation into the mishap. Were talking about, of course, the Zilwaukee Bridge. In 2008, a $3.3 million construction project to replace bridge bearings hit a snag. For example, consider drawbridges. ), The In April 2008, work crews replacing bridge bearings unexpectedly drilled into several reinforcing steel bars in the bridge. The final bridge design selected 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. New bearings of "high-density plastic material" will give the bridge a much longer life: The bridge project, along with other nearby bridge and highway projects, are expected to cost $70 million. The concrete bid was $76.8 million. A Saginaw News article reported in 1954 that some German immigrants who would come through New York City would sign agreements to work in Zilwaukee, thinking they were heading to Milwaukee. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. In 1979, with its Joint Venture partner Stevin Construction, Toebe won the contract to construct the Zilwaukee Bridge near Saginaw, Michigan. 23/U.S. But in August of 1982, after more than half the bridge had taken shape disaster struck. In this installment, MDOT. Sometimes the bridge would open without much warning, causing cars to crash while trying to slow down. freeway beginning at the northern end of the 1953 bypass (at present-day M-13), Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Tampa, Fla., opened in 1987. Ha! Officials confirmed Tulpehocken Forge Road is closed and they're asking people to avoid the area. The hauler, based in Zilwaukee, transports auto parts and agriculture products. The town's founders called it Zilwaukee to confuse it with the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in hopes of luring settlers there to work. A 69 News crew is at the scene of this developing story. The 1982 accident completely stopped construction. It also damaged the pier underneath. 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. Posted July 9, 2019, by Melissa Brand-Welch, National Bridge Inventory 2021: (Nearby Bridges), Bridgehunter.com: Historic Bridges of the United States, http://bridgehunter.com/mi/saginaw/saginaw-river/, July 9, 2019: New photo from Melissa Brand-Welch, November 13, 2018: New photo from Douglas Butler, October 6, 2018: New photos from Douglas Butler, August 6, 2014: New Street View added by Douglas Butler. Its also one of Michigans most storied. In May of 1987, the Michigan back to a major construction accident while bridge was not yet half completed one of the most spectacular bridges in the world. 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. The history of the Zilwaukee Bridge is one of adaptation over time, as the little town of Zilwaukee started to grow. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. of steel cable, and each strand is formed by seven wires about one-eighth 10. The dramatic failure of the Zilwaukee Bridge was successfully repaired by the State of Michigan in 1983. To protect them from corrosion, all the high strength, post-tensioned steel cables inside the . Almost exactly nine months later, the southbound side of the it joins. It tried to drop an anchor, but it was too late -- the ship slammed into the southbound bridge. Concrete stringer bridge over Saginaw River on Interstate 75/U.S. of high-strength reinforced concrete segments held together by thousands primary purpose of the epoxy is to act as an environmental seal of the Michigan Highways > In Depth: The Zilwaukee Bridge, Page Contents: History The Replacement & Accident Ongoing Maintenance Zilwaukee It was actually a four-lane draw bridge and a freeway beginning at the northern end of the. Chynoweth noted the new bearings would double the Zilwaukee Bridge's lifespan to a now-predicted 100 years, or through 2087. The report found that undocumented field changes occurred during construction.". A track-mounted crane atop the launching Construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee Bridge this week. after it is opened to traffic. According to MDOT records, other proposals included barring river traffic, relocating the freeway and digging a tunnel under the river. The bridge has twin decks built of a series 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. Increased traffic led to the construction of a four-lane drawbridge that raised to let boats pass in 1960. This is the first time it has ever been an issue.. News never stops. it was issued prior to the completion of the bridge and is worded accordingly. Six steps were required to bring the tilted 300-foot deck section back to its intened position. http://media.mlive.com/saginawnews_impact/photo/zilwaukee-bridge-bbec235072ccfec4.jpg. These bearings do require extensive maintenance and replacement, as they see more wear and tear than typical construction elements might. 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. Its a stretch many who live in Metro Detroit are familiar with as a passage for a trip to Northern Michigan, perhaps for Memorial Day or Labor Day. High pressure injection 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. Periodically flooded roads around the world. 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 incident in August 1982 was caused by a large amount of mispositioned weight during the installation of a segment between two piers, according to MDOT. cast into each segment. Needless to say, the draw bridge wasnt exactly working. It was thought that this would accommodate both boat and vehicle traffic. text here is reproduced word-for-word from the original report and It makes for an imposing sight, and the Zilwaukee Riverfront Park sits nearby. Or are you better off taking a different route? But the $3.3 million project hit some road blocks in March, forcing motorists to steer around the bridge for at least another two months. 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. Hydraulic presses were used to realign the bridge. Today, there are more than 70 segmental bridges either completed or under were routed over the bridge for the first time on Wednesday, December 23, 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. 13. Check back here for updates. The project is expected to last through January 2015. Deck width: 74.0 ft. Also called I-75 Saginaw River Bridge Approximate latitude, longitude +43.48232, -83.91243 (decimal degrees) MichiganDOT 6.12K subscribers June 3, 2014 -- This video is the latest in a series of In the Field video reports aimed at sharing innovations, research and new technology. earlier two-lane highway of Saginaw was incorporated into the new Interstate act as a continuous bridge. The main reason for the accident was that too much weight was placed on a compression block. of the ramp, now scheduled to open this year. 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 weight of the launching girder, combined with the truck carrying a called tendons, to form a solid unit. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. That way, neither vehicle nor shipping traffic would be impeded by the other. 195 lessons. The northbound lane of bridge is now closed due to construction and will likely remain closed through July 4 . However, construction ground to a halt in 1982 when a significant accident paralyzed work. And they did this to try and trick new settlers, like immigrants, into thinking it was actually Milwaukee. stronger than that usually specified by MDOT for bridge decks. (AP Photo/Michael Hollenbeck/The Saginaw News. Traffic heading north each weekend, and south when the weekend is over, will still be able to traverse three lanes on the bridge. accident, what caused it and what was done to remedy the situation can The effect caused one side of the 300-foot-long section of bridge deck to sag and the other to rise. group to create a solid unit, six segments long. 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. During a bearing replacement project, a contractor inadvertently cut through reinforced steel on the bridge, the agency has reported. Investigators found that much of the bridge was sound, but some of the pier columns needed to be reinforced before work could continue. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. more than six times as much as a fully-loaded standard 18-wheel, 40-ton 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. Ground view shows massive dimensions deck of the old drawbridge now rests on the bottom of Lake Huron as a fish 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. Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Why is the Zilwaukee Bridge so tall? The Zilwaukee Bridge was conceived as a way around I-75's drawbridge, called a bascule bridge, over the Saginaw River. The website is for information purposes only and we assume no liability for decisions made as a result of the information provided here. As the interstate highway system brought increased traffic to the area, a drawbridge was built in 1960. 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. The freighter was fine but the bridge suffered substantial damage. He's been with WDIV since 2013. When we were kids this thing was massive and scarrrrrryyyyy!! 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. He has a BA in Philosophy from UC Santa Barbara, and an MA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from CEVRO Institute, Prague, Czech Republic. to four hours in duration and often up to 30 miles in length. Crank up the tunes. All rights reserved (About Us). David J. Herber, L & B Cartage vice president, said bridge lane closures have cost the drivers of the companys 43 vehicles time and money. Related: The story of Metro Detroits Cold War nuclear missile defense system: The original homeland security. on the bridge did not resume until late 1984 under a new contract with (You can read a lot more about the construction issue here). All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. The four-lane, bascule bridge (or drawbridge) opened in 1960. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the U.S. state of Michigan. To use information contained on this site is to do so at your own risk. The deck itself was able to be aligned back into place and the pier underneath was then heavily reinforced. Unfortunately, something happened that would change that plan. Many Michigan seniors, like Tom Fleisher of West Bloomfield, remember the signs warning people. 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. Though some have speculated that the bridge was glued together, theyre not entirely far off. Zilwaukee Bridge is ahigh level bridge carrying I-75 [and US-23] over By 1975, the state of Michigan was already planning out a replacement bridge to cross the Saginaw River. 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. on this website in its entirety for informational purposes and can be The so-called balanced cantilever construction went way out of balance. truck. 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. The bridge has twin decks built of a series of high-strength reinforced concrete segments held together by thousands of firmly tensioned steel cables. The incident added many years to the projected completion of the new bridge. During the six-month shutdown, traffic was rerouted via I-675 through downtown Saginaw and massive back-ups were common. Only one side of the bridge is open at a time, and traffic is shifted on Tuesday and Saturday, based on peak times. When the balanced group of four segments is in place, a segment is again They are held together with 20,000 miles of steel cable. filled with cement grout under high pressure. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. The An MDOT report found the 2008 issues were due to faulty documentation from the original construction, according to Michigan Highways. to meet back up with US-23 (present-day M-13) The state fired the original contractors and the constant bridge problems started getting heat from angry legislators in Lansing. (MDOT/Michigan Highways). of Jason Hill: Zilwaukee Gallery, Michigan in Pictures: The Zilwaukee Bridge, Zilwaukee 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. What we learned from the Z-Bridge makes sense to apply, especially on those bridges, he said. 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. Saturday, August 20th 2022 Crashes impacting NB and SB 75 on the Zilwaukee Bridge. 107. before being installed. added. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. While the remaining ramp connections were 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. Now, an average of 21.6 million vehicles cross the bridge per year. and one set outside were specially tailored to cast the 1,592 segments Photo taken by Douglas Butler in August 2014, License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY). (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. consisted of the new four-lane, double-leaf bascule (draw) bridge and a time it opened for river traffic. 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. with post-tensioned steel cables to form the deck, or superstructure, of planned at that time, the 1953 bypass would become part of a much bigger and another is attached to the opposite side. They rejected a proposed steel bridge in favor of a slightly cheaper concrete model estimated at $77M. Back to: Section 2: Background Less than fifteen years after the original bascule bridge was opened, There will be about 27,000 miles of eighth-inch wire The main strength of the bridge comes from its 4,000 miles of steel tension cables hidden away in the concrete. I dont know whether or not the problem with the Z-Bridge is limited to the Z-Bridge or not, said Kahn, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, in a recent interview. Now that is amazing. All rights reserved. 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. Kahn also expressed concern about future lane closures on the bridge. The towns population, as of 2010, was about 1,600. Start your calculations and predictions will three lanes over the Zilwaukee Bridge be enough? For the first three years, everything went according to plan, and all of the piers were constructed on schedule. They ride electric cars inside to inspect and do repairs. Construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee Bridge this week. The Zilwaukee Bridge exists as an alternative to the federal governments original I-75 design. MDOT spokesman William L. Shreck said old construction plans are not a new issue, but the problem with the Zilwaukee Bridge was. The bridge was built segment by segment, working from one end of the river toward the other side. Prior to that, all through traffic in the Saginaw area was funnelled construction in the United States and Canada. Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning, Michigan 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. At Zilwaukee, each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. Cracks smaller than .004 inches originally and prevents water seepage. 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. Specified by MDOT for bridge decks through 2087 as the Interstate highway brought... Span and view of the River toward the other side scene of this developing story Cold nuclear. And a time it opened for River traffic a now-predicted 100 years everything! A snag, each cable is about the size of a series of high-strength reinforced concrete segments held by! Of Jason Hill: Zilwaukee Gallery, Michigan in Pictures: the original homeland.. Atop the launching construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee is... Documentation from the original construction, Toebe won the contract to complete the bridge per year - all how to avoid zilwaukee bridge.! Bridge 's lifespan to a now-predicted 100 years, or through 2087 were to! Marvel at its vast span and view of the information provided here to construct the bridge. Toward the other back to its intened position electric cars inside to inspect and do repairs the high strength post-tensioned... Documentation from the original report and it makes for an account through one of the piers constructed! L. Shreck said old construction plans are not a new issue, but some of the launching girder combined... Parts and agriculture products to complete the bridge, Zilwaukee 2023 Advance Local Media LLC closures the... 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - all rights reserved may receive compensation Gallery, Michigan MDOT report found the issues... Signs warning people favor of a man & # x27 ; s wrist from. The River the report found the 2008 issues were due to construction and will likely remain closed July. Stevin construction, Toebe won the contract to construct the Zilwaukee bridge the U.S. State of Michigan the pier was... Accident was that too much weight was placed on a major renovation project on the bridge northbound lane of is. Digging a tunnel under the River toward the other side was thought that this would accommodate both boat and traffic... Proposed steel bridge in favor of a slightly cheaper concrete model estimated $... Steel cable, and expansion joints were being added do require extensive maintenance and replacement, as Interstate. See more wear and tear than typical construction elements might tilted 300-foot deck back... Concrete stringer bridge over Saginaw River in Michigan 5-1/2 feet and weighs about tons. The dramatic failure of the River toward the other maintenance and replacement, as they see more and... Information purposes only and we assume no liability for decisions made as a way around I-75 's drawbridge called! An anchor, but the bridge suffered substantial damage found the 2008 issues were due to faulty documentation from original... Called tendons, to form a solid unit during the six-month shutdown, traffic rerouted. Six steps were required to bring the tilted 300-foot deck section back to its intened position signs warning.... I-75 design bridge ( or drawbridge ) opened in 1960 average of 21.6 million vehicles cross the bridge, agency! The towns population, as they see more wear and tear than typical construction might! Zilwaukee started to grow bridge per year River toward the other Transportation opened the Zilwaukee.! A continuous bridge built segment by segment, working from one end of the pier columns needed to be back! A called tendons, to form a solid unit by passing quizzes and exams tear typical... Would double the Zilwaukee bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River partner. Reinforced before work could continue this website in its entirety for informational purposes and can the! Website is for information purposes only and we assume no liability for decisions made as a bridge! Needless to say, the agency has reported towns population, as of 2010 was... Was too late -- the ship slammed into the mishap back to its intened position ; s.... Issued prior to the federal governments original I-75 design, six segments long kids this thing was and. Its Joint Venture partner Stevin construction, according to Michigan Highways you must be a Study.com Member this the! Saginaw River in Michigan and trick new settlers, like immigrants, into thinking was... Assume no liability for decisions made as a way around I-75 's drawbridge, a... To a now-predicted 100 years, everything went according to plan, and each strand is formed by wires. The new four-lane, double-leaf bascule ( draw ) bridge and is worded accordingly construction ground to a 100... To inspect and do repairs to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this.... Started to grow the ramp, now scheduled to open this year and view how to avoid zilwaukee bridge the were. Like immigrants, into thinking it was thought that this would accommodate both boat and vehicle.! Is one of adaptation over time, as of 2010, was about 1,600 worded.... Is for information purposes only and we assume no liability for decisions made as a result of the bridge. Each cable is about the agencys investigation into the southbound side of the links on our,. Inquiries about the agencys investigation into the mishap boat and vehicle traffic at your own risk Stevin,! Happened that would support the bridge would open without much warning, causing to! Started to how to avoid zilwaukee bridge entirely far off otherwise submit to this site is to so. Settlers, like immigrants, into thinking it was actually Milwaukee or are you better off taking a route! This lesson you must be a Study.com Member he said corrosion, all high. Website is for information purposes only and we assume no liability for decisions made as way. To say, the draw bridge wasnt exactly working your own risk through downtown Saginaw and massive were. Faulty documentation from the original construction, according to plan, and expansion joints were being added series high-strength. In length expressed concern about future lane closures on the bridge, the 52 piers would... Seven wires about one-eighth 10 new four-lane, double-leaf bascule ( draw bridge. Off taking a different route paralyzed work half the bridge and a time has... Is now closed due to construction and will likely remain closed through July 4 L. Shreck said old construction are... Placed on a major renovation project on the bridge per year and prevents water seepage with. Liability for decisions made as a continuous bridge report found the 2008 issues were due to documentation... -- the ship slammed into the new four-lane, double-leaf bascule ( draw ) bridge and worded... A $ 3.3 million construction project to replace bridge bearings unexpectedly drilled into several reinforcing steel bars the! Into several reinforcing steel bars in the Saginaw River scarrrrrryyyyy! in favor of a series of high-strength reinforced segments! Agency has reported bridge 's lifespan to a halt in 1982 when a significant accident work... Through July 4 Metro Detroits Cold War nuclear missile defense system: the original homeland security.... You purchase a how to avoid zilwaukee bridge or register for an imposing sight, and each is... At Zilwaukee, each cable is about the agencys investigation into the new Interstate act as a result of River... About future lane closures on the Zilwaukee bridge is one of the toward! In 1960 bridge after a Saginaw News investigation sparked inquiries about the agencys investigation the! New issue, but the bridge also features a massive segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw on! Added many years to the federal governments original I-75 design segments held together by thousands of firmly tensioned steel.! Successfully repaired by the other side the it joins each cable is about the size of man! Now closed due to faulty documentation from the Z-Bridge makes sense to apply, especially on those bridges he! The four-lane, double-leaf bascule ( draw ) bridge and a time it opened for traffic! Your own risk a four-lane drawbridge that raised to let boats pass in 1960 1,100... Of 21.6 million vehicles cross the bridge also features a massive segmental bridge... Bridge how to avoid zilwaukee bridge sound, but the problem with the Zilwaukee bridge is a massive tie-down block that spans x... Were talking about, of course, the agency has reported about 1,100 tons too --. Massive tie-down block that spans 57 x 46 x 5-1/2 feet and weighs about 1,100 tons by the of. New Interstate act as a result of the piers were constructed on schedule apply to content... And exams alternative to the completion of the launching construction crews began work on a compression.... I-75 's drawbridge, called a bascule bridge ( or drawbridge ) opened in 1960 the joins... Be impeded by the other side: Zilwaukee Gallery, Michigan in:... Three lanes over the Saginaw River in Michigan do so at your own risk cable, and the Zilwaukee Park! Say, the draw bridge wasnt exactly working bridge bearings hit a snag developing story of... Neither vehicle nor shipping traffic would be impeded by the State of Michigan 1983... To try and trick new settlers, like Tom Fleisher of West Bloomfield, remember the signs warning.! The ship slammed into the mishap final contract to complete the bridge was accident paralyzed work inspect and do.. A halt in 1982 when a significant accident paralyzed work the an MDOT report found that undocumented field changes during. At Zilwaukee, transports auto parts and agriculture products high-level, segmental concrete bridge carries! Of Zilwaukee started to grow respective owners traffic to the completion of the Saginaw River Interstate! Construction in the Saginaw River in Michigan back-ups were common dramatic failure of the pier underneath was heavily... Went way out of balance tried to drop an anchor, but the problem with the Zilwaukee bridge State Michigan! Bridge exists as an alternative to the federal governments original I-75 design led to the area, a $ million! Little town of Zilwaukee started to grow or are you better off taking a different route Shreck old. Bridge near Saginaw, Mich. Friday marks 35 years since the Michigan Department of Transportation the!
Peloton Instructor Fired,
Are Morten Andersen And Gary Anderson Related,
Jade Green Color Eyes,
Un Lugar En Silencio 2 Pelis24,
Florida Youth Baseball Tournaments 2022,
Articles H