Last updated on March 3rd, 2024
One of the cool things about my job is that sometimes I get to go out to project sites and watch big pieces of infrastructure being built. Not being an engineer, I find the whole process endlessly mysterious and fascinating.
This week my job took me to the Mississippi River in Hastings, where the arches that will eventually span the river as part of a new bridge are under construction.
This fall those arches will float down the river on a pair of barges before being lifted into place.
It was hotter than heck the day I was out there, but you can watch the construction anytime via an on-site web cam.
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What an interesting job you must have! Bridges fascinate me. Here in Salt Lake City we had a HUGE bridge project a few years ago where the bridges were constructed off to the side and then moved into place. It was incredible to watch!
Yeah, you can really see change over time in our bridges. I'm a big bridge fan.
This would be very interesting to see a bridge as its being built! One of the reasons I love walking the Brooklyn Bridge in NYC is all the history and details on the plaques as you walk along.
Very interesting to see the construction process – I would have assumed that bridge construction took place on site!
More and more often bridges – or at least major components of bridges – are being built off site and moved into place. While the move itself is hugely complicated, this technique can allow roadways to remain open far longer while construction is underway. I suspect it is also safer for construction workers and may even speed construction. In addition, the river in this area also serves commercial barge traffic, which further complicates working in and above the river.
In the case of the Hastings bridge, the existing bridge won't be demolished until this one is slipped into place, providing an almost seamless transition for highway users.