 |
|
|
Press Release -- April 2, 2009
TRAFFIC ALERT - Rising Sun Lane Bridge to Temporarily Close
Rehabilitation is Part of Successful Bridge Program
Wilmington --
The Department of Transportation (DelDOT) advises motorists who use Rising Sun Lane bridge that it will close Monday, April 13, 2009, through October 2009 for improvements. It will not be open to vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian traffic.
There are two bridges under this project. Bridge 1-001A is a stone arch just south of the Brandywine Creek on Rising Sun Lane and is ranked No. 1 on the list of DelDOT's structurally deficient bridges. Bridge 1-001 is the steel truss over the Brandywine Creek, and is ranked No. 7. DelDOT maintains 1,520 bridges throughout the state. Based on the latest data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Bridge Inventory for states, DelDOT's percent of structurally deficient bridges is the fourth lowest in the nation behind Arizona, Florida, and Nevada.
The detour will be posted and directs motorists who need to cross Brandywine Creek to use the Tyler-McConnell Bridge on Route 141. Message boards have been set up notifying drivers of the closure. Wilmington-based contractor Eastern Highway Specialists, Inc. will complete the project, estimated at $2.9 million.
This closure will allow work to begin on Rising Sun Lane bridge 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.
The improvements are needed because inspections of the bridge revealed: steel corrosion and section loss, concrete and paint deterioration, mortar loss and deterioration of the arch and masonry retaining walls, leaking deck joints, malfunctioning bearings, damaged railing and cross bracing, and drainage concerns. In addition, the bridge, which dates back to 1928, is located in a seismic zone and was constructed using tall rocker bearings which need to be enhanced to meet current federal performance requirements.
Extensive improvements will be made to the substructure and superstructure of the bridge, stone masonry, drainage along Rising Sun Lane and the intersection with Main Street, and roadway surface approaches.
|
|
|
