Aerial view of Rising Sun Bridge

Rehabilitation of Bridges 1/1A on Rising Sun Lane over Brandywine Creek

Project Limits:

Rising Sun Lane (N279) from 19th Street, across the Brandywine Creek, to the Dupont Experimental Station Entrance. The project also includes improvements for approximately 300 feet along Main Street (N260).

Project Need

The semi-annual bridge inspections of the structures and coating condition surveys revealed deficiencies in several elements of the bridges including steel corrosion and section loss, concrete deterioration in portions of the deck and substructure units, mortar loss and deterioration of the arch and masonry retaining walls, leaking transverse deck joints, malfunctioning girder bearings, damaged railing and cross bracing, drainage concerns, and deterioration of the bridge paint system. In addition, the bridge is located in a seismic zone and was constructed using tall rocker bearings which do not meet the performance requirements specified in AASHTO. The tall rocker bearings need to be replaced or retrofitted to prevent toppling of the bearings during a seismic event.

Project Overview

The work on the subject bridge involves the replacement of tall rocker bearings with TFE sliding plate bearings, placement of a specialized micro-silica overlay, replacing deteriorated truss connection rivets, replacing deteriorated interior vertical gusset plates, replacing welded stringer flange cover plates with bolted stringer flange cover plates, replacing bottom laterals, replacing sway braces to increase the vertical clearance, diaphragm repairs, knee brace repairs, modifying the existing transverse roadway joints, railing repairs, cleaning and painting the entire steel superstructure, re-pointing various stone masonry elements, re-pointing of the stone masonry arch, repairing structural concrete elements, installing approach and moment slabs along the approach roadways, drainage improvements along Rising Sun Lane and the intersection with Main Street, and milling and repaving the approach roadways.

Anticipated Start Date

April 2009

Anticipated Completion Date

May 2010

Current Construction Schedule

208 Calendar Days

Contractor

Eastern Highway Specialists, Inc.

Contract Award Price

$2,992,380.45