Skip to main content

Bridge link underway in Texas

In the US state of Texas, work is in hand to build new bridges carrying US-281 over the Colorado River at Marble Falls. The Texas Department of Transportation has set a budget of close to US$30 million to replace the existing Lake Marble Falls Bridge with two new bridges.
March 22, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
New twin bridges at Marle Falls in Texas will carrying US 281 over the Colorado River - image courtesy of Guy Tuttle
In the US state of Texas, work is in hand to build new bridges carrying US-281 over the Colorado River at Marble Falls.

The 3499 Texas Department of Transportation has set a budget of close to US$30 million to replace the existing Lake Marble Falls Bridge with two new bridges. This crossing is some 80km from Austin and the project requires the demolition of the existing steel truss bridge and the construction of twin segmental bridges. The new bridges will be built using the balanced cantilever construction method with end spans constructed on falsework.

Finley Engineering Group (FINLEY) carried out a time-dependent staged analysis of the structure to monitor stresses and expected deflection during construction. The firm revised the segment layout and optimised the post-tensioning layout, which reduced costs and construction time. The analysis process included developing a model, which used Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM). This allowed the synchronisation of the CADD shop drawings with the analysis model, to meet the contractor’s fast-pace construction schedule. The first of the new bridges is under construction at present and is due for completion in mid 2012. The second bridge will be finished in 2014. Archer-Western Contractors is building the two structures and FINLEY’s portion of the project includes bridge design and a full construction engineering package.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Kronprinsesse Marys Bro bridges Roskilde Fjord
    January 10, 2019
    A BESIX joint venture is giving the royal treatment to the new Kronprinsesse Marys Bro across Roskilde Fjord, writes David Arminas It was announced in September 2016 that Belgian group BESIX, in a joint venture (RBAI) with Italian firm Rizzani de Eccher and Spanish company Acciona Infraestructuras, had been chosen for the €133 million project. The award, by client Vejdirektoratet (Danish Road Directorate), marked the entry of BESIX into the Scandinavian market. Vejdirektoratet praised the winning bid as
  • New international trade crossing linking Canada and US
    June 9, 2015
    The Detroit River is short, only 45km, and narrow in places, less than 1km. Around a quarter of the annual $658 billion Canada-US trade crosses over the river. That’s $160 billion worth of goods trucked each year between Detroit in the US state of Michigan and the Canadian city of Windsor in the province of Ontario - the Windsor-Detroit Corridor. There are several types of crossings, but the vast majority of commercial traffic must use the 2.3km Ambassador Bridge (see box). A new bridge was initially prop
  • Romania eyes new Danube River bridge
    August 20, 2024
    The announcement by Romania’s minister for transport, Sorin Grindeanu, comes as the Friendship Bridge, connecting Giurgiu in Romania and Ruse in Bulgaria, is closed for repairs.
  • Innovations in formwork aid project completion
    February 14, 2012
    Innovative formwork solutions are helping to get projects completed on or before time, meaning savings in time and money as Patrick smith reports. The use of flexible, modular formwork to create innovative structures out of concrete is helping to increase productivity and thus drive down completion time and costs.