Bridge lift in Orlando for interstate rebuild

Measuring 33.8km long and costing US$2.3 billion, Orlando’s massive I-4 Ultimate is the largest infrastructure project in the Florida Department of Transportation’s history. Divided into four phases, the project requires major bridge work to improve traffic flow through Central Florida. In all, 13 existing structures are being widened, 53 new bridges added and 74 bridges replaced. Area 2, currently under construction, runs through Orlando from Highway 50 at the northern edge to the Highway 423/I-4 interc
July 4, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
V&M has about another two years of work on Area 2 of the I-4 Ultimate project in Florida and will keep using Terex HC Series cranes
Measuring 33.8km long and costing US$2.3 billion, Orlando’s massive I-4 Ultimate is the largest infrastructure project in the 2697 Florida Department of Transportation’s history.


Divided into four phases, the project requires major bridge work to improve traffic flow through Central Florida. In all, 13 existing structures are being widened, 53 new bridges added and 74 bridges replaced. Area 2, currently under construction, runs through Orlando from Highway 50 at the northern edge to the Highway 423/I-4 interchange at its southernmost part.

The engineering team is adding or reconstructing 40 structures in this area and needs to place 22,680tonnes of steel for this phase.

V&M is the key structural steel contractor for the bridge work and now has three 1222 Terex crawler cranes in its fleet: a 208tonne HC 230; a 250tonne HC 275 crane; an HC 285 offering a 258tonne capacity.

Area 2 comprises of multiple high-level flyover ramps, which makes accessing the site challenging. Rather than working at night to place girders, V&M and the Florida DOT are using 40- to 56-hour road closure times to improve construction efficiency and limit impact on traffic.

The work schedule requires V&M to move from bridge to bridge, and each bridge consists of one to five units. Within each bridge unit, workers must move the cranes three to four times. Once on site, the Terex HC series cranes’ hydraulic counterweight removal system simplifies and reduces plate installation and removal time.

Throughout Area 2, V&M will equip its three HC cranes with boom configurations ranging from 42.7-61m and work at radii where the lift chart offers capacities from 68-90.7tonnes.

For maximum capacity, the cranes are rigged in their full counterweight configurations. Additionally, a luffing jib is kept on site to assist lifting the preassembled girders over structures.

On the complex bridge number 225, V&M paired the smaller HC 230 and 275 cranes in tandem lifts, while its larger HC 285 crawler and an AC 700 all-terrain crane from Hunter Merchant were reserved to support the heavier girder spans. This gave crew members the capacity required to connect the flyover spans between piers while supported at elevation.

Road Structures

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Manitowoc MLC650 cranes keep Champlain Bridge on track
    October 28, 2016
    Two Manitowoc MLC650s are working on a project to replace the Champlain Bridge that spans the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal, Canada. The engineering consortium - Signature on the Saint Lawrence Construction (SSLC) – is assigned to the task. The capacity and reduced ground preparation made possible by the MLC650’s VPC-MAX attachment – as well as the ease of use of its Crane Control System (CCS) – are helping the team stay on schedule. The Champlain Bridge connects one of North America’s busiest road
    Read More
  • A new Indian cable-stayed bridge will improve transport connections
    March 2, 2015
    A major new cable-stayed bridge is being constructed in India - Partha Bratim Basistha reports. In India the construction of a major cable-stayed bridge is underway that will boost connections from capital Delhi to its surrounding areas. The bridge is being built in a bid to ease growing interstate traffic movement between Delhi and the surrounding North Indian states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Named Signature Bridge, this is a landmark structure due to its design aesthetics and
    Read More
  • Australian bridge slides into position
    July 18, 2012
    A heavy rail crossing as part of Australia's EastLink motorway demanded great ingenuity and careful planning Most of the 88 bridges on the EastLink tolled motorway in, Melbourne, Australia were kept as simple and straightforward as possible. Contractor Thiess John Holland (TJH) developed its own precast yard 150km from the city, which provided many of the prefabricated materials required for the structures. This offered speed and economy while logistics and sequencing were vital for their erection. But the
    Read More
  • Bridge engineering worldwide
    July 1, 2013
    Guy Woodford looks at vital bridge construction, repair and inspection projects in China, Europe, North America and Australia The Heron Road Bridge in Ottawa, Ontario in Canada is a vital link within the City’s transport network, as it crosses the Rideau River, which divides the east and west parts of the City. Constructed in 1966-1967, the Heron Road Bridge is approximately 275m long and includes six lanes.
    Read More

Highlighted Content