Award for Bayonne Bridge project in the US

A major engineering award has been given for Bayonne Bridge project in the US.
By MJ Woof April 2, 2020 Read time: 2 mins
The Bayonne Bridge project in the US has won a major engineering award for the complex project, which involved raising the deck to increase clearance - image © courtesy of Demerzel21, Dreamstime.com

The Bayonne Bridge project has won a major award from the American Society of Civil Engineers. The bridge redesign was given the organisation’s Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement award, presented annually to the project that best illustrates superior civil engineering skills.

The HDR-designed Bayonne Bridge Navigational Clearance project was extremely complex and presented many challenges. Using an innovative construction sequence, HDR’s team partnered with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to raise the new Bayonne Bridge deck 19.5m over the existing roadway and within the existing arch structure. Using this method, both vehicle traffic and shipping were able to continue during construction. The increased clearance allows larger vessels to travel beneath the bridge on their way to the ports of Newark and Elizabeth.

As the lead design firm in a joint venture with WSP USA, HDR designed the new deck for the main bridge span, the strengthening of the arch for increased wind loading and the new segmental concrete approach superstructures. In September 2017, the old roadway was removed and the first larger cargo ship passed beneath the new bridge. All four lanes of the new bridge opened in February 2019.

“Our team’s creativity and engineering acumen was on full display on this landmark project,” HDR Transportation president Brent Felker said. “We’re proud to deliver such a historic effort for the people of New York and New Jersey.”

The project is also a 2018 winner of the Grand Conceptor award, given out by the American Council of Engineering Companies annually to the top engineering achievement in the country.

A panel of nine judges picked the recipient of the OCEA award based on originality and innovation; resourcefulness in planning and solving design challenges; sustainability considerations; and project planning and delivery.

In all, 10 projects from across the US were recognised by ASCE, including three in which HDR played a lead role. The other two projects in which HDR was involved were the Marc Basnight Bridge (Bonner Bridge Replacement) in North Carolina and the West Vancouver Freight Access project in Washington.

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