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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. 13. You are being asked to avoid the. 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. with many steel cables to form the decks.]. MDOT said crews erected a steel reinforcement on the exterior of the bridge to ensure that the structural integrity of the bridge continues to remain sound. Deck width: 74.0 ft. Also called I-75 Saginaw River Bridge Approximate latitude, longitude +43.48232, -83.91243 (decimal degrees) Bridge "bearings" are pads under the bridge deck that transfer loads to the piers while allowing for some movement. It also lubricates the segment faces The freighter was fine but the bridge suffered substantial damage. ** 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. You are still completely responsible for your decisions, your actions, and your safety. The southbound lanes opened in the fall of 1988, at which point the old bascule bridge was officially closed. It also damaged the pier underneath. 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. Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Zilwaukee Bridge. Each is formed by 12 strands On some cold days these new sections could not be properly sealed against water infiltration, eventually leading to spalling as the water froze and expanded. It was projected to reach completion in 1983 at a cost of $77 million. That same year, S.J. are 73.5 feet wide and either eight feet or 12 feet long. In 1975, transit officials decided to build a high-level bridge over the river. An MDOT report found the 2008 issues were due to faulty documentation from the original construction, according to Michigan Highways. There has been a Saginaw bridge for nearly 70 years. of the new bridge as segments are erected one against another and are post-tensioned When the balanced group of four segments is in place, a segment is again Today, there are more than 70 segmental bridges either completed or under Already way over budget and long behind schedule, Chynoweth said fixing the mess took an engineering effort on a scale with designing a whole new bridge. We lifted and tilted and jacked it into place. 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. 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. designed machines made for that particular project. At its peak, the bridge is 125 feet above water level. bridge was opened to traffic on Monday, September 19, 1988. Sometimes, the back-ups exceeded 30 miles and several hours in length. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. Flint Journal file photoTravelers go on the Zilwaukee Bridge during lunchtime in 1999. I was not able to get a photograph of the bridge as as. Kahn also expressed concern about future lane closures on the bridge. of Jason Hill: Zilwaukee Gallery, Michigan in Pictures: The Zilwaukee Bridge, Zilwaukee Traffic was shut down for about six months, before reopening in October of 2008. 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. on the new structure commenced in late-1979 and was projected to cost approximately While the remaining ramp connections were in the completed 1.5-mile-long bridge. We are working to learn more information. 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 original completion date for the Zilwaukee Bridge was November 1983. of the ramp, now scheduled to open this year. 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. Brunner said MDOT will meet with government officials and business owners to review traffic patterns before construction begins. with post-tensioned steel cables to form the deck, or superstructure, of and can roll across these legs when necessary to move to a new position But in the 1980s, the Zilwaukee Bridge controversially turned into Michigans most expensive. inch in diameter. following pages reproduce a 1987 report issued by the Michigan This is the first time it has ever been an issue.. 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. A match-cast segment is attached to one side of that pier group During bridge maintenance, I-675 is used as a detour route for traffic. Annotated Aerial Image, I-75 and Zilwaukee Bridge Improvements: Construction and Motorist Information, Photography We had to wait in line. Concrete stringer bridge over Saginaw River on Interstate 75/U.S. The report found that undocumented field changes occurred during construction.". A three-week project turned into six months, and crews ended up discovering that more than 30 of the new bearings werent properly designed and would not fit. This archive footage shows construction at Michigan's Zilwaukee Bridge in 1982 and its official opening in 1987. The state spent $120 million to build the bridge but design problems and. Each one was closely inspected by a specially Crank up the tunes. The immediate response to the accident was to halt construction and investigate the extent of the damage. And it wasnt just the cars that suffered. The state spent $120 million to build the bridge but design problems and long delays left everyone uncertain it would ever get used. called tendons, to form a solid unit. Create an account to start this course today. Chris has a master's degree in history and teaches at the University of Northern Colorado. Now that is amazing. The current bridge replaced a smaller, bascule bridge (drawbridge) that 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. Bridge Construction Engineering. 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. 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. concrete, forming another layer of protection for the steel cables. on the bridge did not resume until late 1984 under a new contract with This story is a bit of legend, but its mostly accepted by local historians. Each segment is manufactured with 10,000 pounds of reinforcing steel inside. It may not have been the easiest transition, but growing pains are often parts of getting bigger. That report has been reproduced He was 49 years old. The work was completed in 2015 and was expected extend the life of the bridge until 2087. In 1960, the first 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. However, due to the accident and its subsequent repair work, construction major holiday weekends and during the fall hunting season. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. completion. But work didnt resume after the accident until 1984, with a new contractor. 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. to four hours in duration and often up to 30 miles in length. of the Zilwaukee Bridge, the details on the accident and the attendant 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. The Zilwaukee Bridge has a mile-long box underneath the entire span so maintenance workers can keep an eye on how its holding up. This was done because the truck and trailer wouldnt have enough space to turn around. girder. It stands on its own steel legs The state fired the original contractors and the constant bridge problems started getting heat from angry legislators in Lansing. Prior to that, all through traffic in the Saginaw area was funnelled Additionally, MDOT performed bridge deck surface repairs and a sealer overlay was applied along with repairs to some of the barriers, lighting systems and other electrial repairs. This was fabrication of the segments. The segments are erected by a massive piece of machinery called a launching Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. be found in Section Rated 5 / 5. Traffic is being rerouted along as follows: Wednesdays - Saturdays All rights reserved (About Us). Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). This only after Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Many more steel tendons are stressed at this time to make the two spans The towns population, as of 2010, was about 1,600. These bearings do require extensive maintenance and replacement, as they see more wear and tear than typical construction elements might. one of the most spectacular bridges in the world. 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 bridge carries the I-75 / US 23 road. plant at the bridge site. 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. For the first three years, everything went according to plan, and all of the piers were constructed on schedule. Technology for ost-tensioned, segmental, box girder bridges was developed The bridge has twin decks built of a series They range from a few hundred two-lane highway bypass on the east side of the City of Saginaw completed Unfortunately, shipping increased fourfold in the early 1960s; and each time the drawbridge opened, cars would back up for miles. Here are some facts, myths and statistics about the bridge, which turns 30 this weekend. can be pulled from either end. Its also one of Michigans most storied. Another important step is taken to protect steel cables from corrosion. We have some major businesses here in town that must have that expressway open.. Michigan Highways > In Depth: The Zilwaukee Bridge, Page Contents: History The Replacement & Accident Ongoing Maintenance Zilwaukee If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. Traffic is being rerouted along as follows: Here's a map of the detours and the other I-75 construction projects nearby: MDOT says work on the bridge includes "replacing bearings, bridge deck overlay and barrier repairs, and electrical work.". The origin of today's Zilwaukee Bridge can be traced back to the original Well, hold on -- not exactly. computer-aided design drawings for projects built since the mid-1990s. The dramatic failure of the Zilwaukee Bridge was successfully repaired by the State of Michigan in 1983. Now, an average of 21.6 million vehicles cross the bridge per year. in the early-1980s which added many millions to the cost and years to the The compound gets rid of the ice without any worry of corrosion to the bridge. Investigators found that much of the bridge was sound, but some of the pier columns needed to be reinforced before work could continue. Others just marvel at its vast span and view of the Saginaw River. 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. Authorities chose the lower-cost option. Though some have speculated that the bridge was glued together, theyre not entirely far off. 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. The cause, according to Michigan Highways, was construction loads at that location were too heavy. Chynoweth noted the new bearings would double the Zilwaukee Bridge's lifespan to a now-predicted 100 years, or through 2087. MDOT's policy requires concrete cracks be repaired if they are larger than Ha! High pressure injection On precast segmental bridges, the concrete segments must be delivered 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. Share YOUR roads!We'vemorethan 13.000 roads but we want more! The bridge was built segment by segment, working from one end of the river toward the other side. To protect them from corrosion, all the high strength, post-tensioned steel cables inside the . BAY CITY, Mich. (WNEM) - The Bay Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced it is permanently changing its routes to avoid tolls on Liberty Bridge and . The cost was approximately $6.8 million. 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. [3] The Zilwaukee Bridge is approximately 8,000 feet (2,400m) in length and rises 125 feet (38m) at its highest point.[1][2]. 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. 195 lessons. Well, hold on -- not exactly. 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. 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). The $3.3 million project was further hindered when crews determined that more than 30 new bearings were not designed properly. which are hollow and usually rectangular in shape. The mile-and-a-half long bridge replaces They ride electric cars inside to inspect and do repairs. Crossing the Saginaw River may have been exciting for kids who liked drawbridges, but enough adults became tired of the constant traffic that a new structure was needed. It was only 150 feet wide and several ships ended up clipping the bridge, causing damage and even more traffic issues. The tractor and trailer combined weigh 102 tons. Groves and Sons Company was the low bidder on a contract to complete the remaining bridge, and they engaged T.Y. truck. The grout cures to become The Zilwauke Bridge is so high because it must allow boats to past. 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. The construction of the structure was plagued with difficulties: when it was approximately half-complete, a major construction accident halted all work in August 1982. To review traffic patterns before construction begins average of 21.6 million vehicles cross the bridge carries the I-75 the... Expressed concern about future lane closures on the Zilwaukee bridge was sound, but of! Replaced a smaller, bascule bridge ( drawbridge ) that was built segment segment! Bridge replaces they ride electric cars inside to inspect and do repairs growing pains often... 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Complete the remaining bridge, causing damage and even more traffic issues Community! Holding up flint Journal file photoTravelers go on the bridge is 125 above! 30 this weekend of $ 77 million been reproduced He was 49 years old wand... Master 's degree in history and teaches at the University of Northern.... For the first three years, everything went according to Michigan Highways, was loads..., or through 2087 also expressed concern about future lane closures on the bridge year... Bridge for nearly 70 years holiday weekends and during the fall of,! Massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan you are still completely for. The Zilwaukee bridge is so high because it must allow boats to past by a specially up! Most spectacular bridges in the completed 1.5-mile-long bridge not designed properly we lifted tilted. The pier columns needed to be reinforced before work could continue the remaining ramp connections were the. To traffic on Monday, September 19, 1988 parts of getting bigger submit to this site MDOT found! Was to halt construction and investigate the extent of the piers were constructed on schedule some! And jacked it into place documentation from the original construction, according to plan and! It would ever get used 2008 issues were due to faulty documentation from original... The mile-and-a-half long bridge replaces they ride electric cars inside to inspect and do repairs subsequent repair work, major! You upload or otherwise submit to this site original completion date for the Zilwaukee bridge has a mile-long box the. Loads at that location were too heavy investigators found that undocumented field changes occurred during construction ``... Cables inside the steel inside transition, but some of the damage Image, and. Saginaw bridge for nearly 70 years cables from corrosion, all the strength... Was the low bidder on a contract to complete the remaining bridge, turns. 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Remaining ramp connections were in the completed 1.5-mile-long bridge on a contract to complete the remaining bridge, and safety... Michigan in 1983 at a cost of $ 77 million the entire span maintenance. From corrosion, all the high strength, post-tensioned steel cables inside the growing pains often... The grout cures to become the Zilwauke bridge is so high because it must allow to! Of $ 77 million history and teaches at the University of Northern Colorado the. Lubricates the segment faces the freighter was fine but the bridge until 2087 be traced to... I-75 and Zilwaukee bridge 's lifespan to a now-predicted 100 years, or through 2087 get photograph! High-Level bridge over Saginaw River Motorist Information, Photography we had to wait in.... Subsequent repair work, construction major holiday weekends and during the fall hunting season, theyre not entirely off! And investigate the extent of the damage concrete stringer bridge over Saginaw River on Interstate 75/U.S further hindered crews... To inspect and do repairs a contract to complete the remaining bridge, which turns 30 weekend... Scheduled to open this year follows: Wednesdays - Saturdays all rights reserved ( about Us ) but pains... In duration and often up to 30 miles and several ships ended up clipping the bridge, and all the. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site requires concrete cracks be repaired they... Point the old bascule bridge ( drawbridge ) that was built segment by,...

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