A 125-foot Big R Pedestrian Bridge was recently installed as part of an intermodal project in Montgomery, AL, connecting a new intermodal facility's parking deck to the downtown Riverwalk area via a five-level observation tower. On installation day, the 52,700-pound bridge required not only a crane, but also a bit of extra patience. Workers had to wait on three trains to pass before the train traffic could be stopped long enough for the bridge to be lifted and carefully eased into place. Stopping train traffic, even briefly, is a significant problem on tracks that see about 70 trains on a typical day. Fortunately, Big R Bridges install quickly and easily with minimal traffic disruption.

But, unforeseen delays can be a fact of life in construction. When the overall project first started in 2007, work was delayed when crews found massive rocks underground that were 20 to 40 feet in diameter. Officials believe that the rocks were placed there in 19th century to keep the Alabama River from eroding the shoreline. Additional time was required to drive foundation pilings as deep as 70' into the ground.

The Bowstring Truss bridge was shipped in two sections and installed with minimal interruption to the train traffic. Due to the reach required to set the bridge a 500-ton crane was used to set the bridge. The 7'8"-wide bridge has a concrete deck and is painted brown with our three-paint system. We also installed four conduits under the bridge and an extensive conduit system inside the truss for an elaborate light system which included linear LED lights and light fixtures. The entire project, including the construction of the parking deck and bus station, cost $17 million. The construction of the tower, including the bridge, was $3.7 million of that.

The contractor on the project was Stalling & Sons, Inc., of Montgomery.

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Big R Bridge recently installed a multi-use bridge in Contra Costa County, CA, to provide access to Fernandez Ranch, a 702-acre protected area West of the Golden Gate Bridge owned by The Muir Heritage Land Trust. With generous support provided by a wide variety of state agencies, private foundations, corporate sponsors, individual contributors and the herculean efforts of an army of volunteers, the installation of the Big R Bridge was a defining moment in the culmination of a 20-year epic journey of land acquisition and planning.

As the 156 foot clear span steel bridge was hoisted into mid-air and finally set across Rodeo Creek, I found myself filled with a profound sense of hope and gratitude.

—Linus Eukel, Executive Director Muir Heritage Land Trust

Dramatic erosion had cut a deep channel along the creek, stripped its banks of vegetation and toppled trees. After much study, planners concluded that changes to Rodeo Creek on a property upstream had changed its hydrology, disrupting creek ecology. Not only did 2,500' sections of the banks need stabilizing, a wide-span bridge was needed to reach across the widening chasm and provide access for pedestrians, cyclists, horseback riders and safety vehicles. Enter Big R Bridge.

Working with Project Engineer, Ken Burgess at C. Overaa & Co., in Richmond, CA, and Bob Birkeland, Senior Landscape Architect at RDG, LLC, Big R proposed an elegant Bowstring Truss design, with a naturally-weathering steel finish and a 12' wide cast-in-place concrete deck. This bridge design offered a clear span without the need for support piers that might impact the creek.

In keeping with the natural beauty and architectural features of the area, weathering steel develops a vibrant patina that gives a rustic appearance over time. And, since weathering steel does not need to be painted, it saves the Trust future maintenance dollars and it saves the environment from impacts related to the manufacture and future removal of volatile organic compounds from oil-based coatings.

Big R Bridge has become one of the leading pedestrian bridge fabricators in the United States. Our pedestrian bridges have been installed from coast to coast. We have provided bridges for golf courses, resorts, private developers, national parks, national forests, industrial walkways and on state department of transportation projects.

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Randy Gaskill was honored for his years of service during our Western Regional Sales Meeting this January. Mr. Gaskill was presented with a 35 years of service award as well as being awarded the Salesperson of the Year.

Randy started working at the company on October 21, 1974. He's been a key part of the success and growth of the company, and is dedication and hard work have been an example for everyone in the organization.

Randy (left) is shown below with the president of Big R Bridge, Kenzie MacPherson.

When an architect on a long-span pedestrian bridge project insisted that an arch bridge design be glazed all the way up the arch structure, it got Joe Meheen thinking outside of the box again. Meheen — veteran Denver engineer, multiple patent holder and lifetime friend of the bridge industry — knew the glazing cost, alone, would be formidable. The result of his brainstorming let him keep the desired aesthetics of the arch system but reduce the enclosed portion to the lower truss area only, in a revolutionary, structural hybrid design called The Tunable Bridge from Big R Bridge.

Lightweight, low-cost, easy-to-install, and very attractive, The Tunable Bridge is short on costs, long on possibilities, and, with clear spans of up to 400 feet, is expected to take modular steel bridges to a whole new dimension – especially in light rail and transit applications over major transportation corridors. Its unique design combines the inherent benefits of a hinged tied arch system with those of a standard steel truss system. The structures’ natural frequencies can then be can balanced or “tuned” like a finely-tuned instrument. Here’s how it works.

The steel truss system is designed to support all of the structure’s dead load, plus a small uniform construction load. Longitudinal, tightening rods in the trusses’ lower chords pre-stress the truss modules for dead load before installation. The steel trusses are installed just like standard modular bridges, spanning from abutment-to-abutment or pier-to-pier.

Once all of the dead loads are applied to the steel truss system, the hinged tied-arch modules are installed and attached to the steel truss system. This attachment is via a system of adjustable tension hanger rods between the arches and the steel trusses, along with longitudinal equalizing tension members across the bottom chords of the steel trusses. Adjustments to the hangers and the longitudinal members, allow for “tuning” the structure such that the live and dead loads are balanced between the arch and the steel truss systems. Tightening nuts that are attached to the rods make the adjustment.

With no critical members, this redundant stress sharing increases safety and allows for lighter-scale and lighter-weight structures using less steel. This opens the door for longer, more graceful modular bridges that cost less to manufacture and are easier to install. The modular components of Big R’s Tunable Bridge install quickly — a key consideration for applications over high-traffic thoroughfares or difficult terrain, where long spans and quick installations are required.

The Tunable Bridge design also accommodates the added weight of covered or enclosed areas, reducing winter maintenance costs for their owners and increasing comfort and convenience for their users. Typical of Meheen, are a number of added features. The top and bottom flanges of the truss members are u-shaped to act as rain gutters, so additional gutters are not needed — further reducing weight and cost. Plus, the design has all pins and connectors visible for easy inspections.

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Pre-engineered and pre-fabricated Modular Steel Bridges from Big R Bridge have always been known for their speed of delivery and installation. Now, they are part of the Utah Department of Transportation’s Accelerated Bridge Construction Program (ABC) – the future of bridge construction in the State. Utah’s ABC Program has been created to decrease impact on the traveling public, increase the quality of the State’s bridges, and increase safety. The ABC Program is already widely implemented in Utah and set to be the State’s standard for all projects by 2010.

Under the ABC Program, this Big R Modular Steel Bridge, on a secondary road to the Rockport Reservoir, in Summit County, was designed and pre-engineered by Big R Bridge and then pre-fabricated at our Greeley, CO facility. Big R’s standard 4 ¼" galvanized steel structural decking was used and finished with an asphalt overlay. In concert with their work in the ABC Program, Big R has also developed a system of precast concrete decking as a speedier solution.

Big R Bridge manufactures modular sections that allow for rapid installation in the field. These bridges are ideal for public works applications, as local crews using on-hand equipment can typically place the superstructure in one day. Superstructures can be fabricated with both square and skewed ends to suit any site conditions. Spans from 16' to over 150' are available in any width.

Choosing a cost-effective infrastructure solution from Big R Bridge – whether within an ABC program or not – helps to avoid the expense and hassle of concrete and lengthy road closures. Big R Bridge’s engineering teams have years of experience designing site-specific, pre-engineered solutions that save time and money. Discover the Big R Bridge difference.

• Nationwide custom bridge provider
• Broad range of bridge products and services
• Wider spans offer more economical, environmentally-friendly designs
• Pre-engineered, pre-fabricated structures install fast for reduced road closure time
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Known for offering the largest ski-in-ski-out home sites in North America, The Colony at White Pine Canyons has set a new standard in mountain living and Big R Bridge is an integral part of it. Nestled in the alpine setting of The Canyons ski resort, in Park City, UT, it is also home to over 40 Modular Steel Bridges that we have designed and fabricated to fit in just perfectly.

In keeping with the natural beauty and architectural features of the resort, the naturally weathering steel of bridge structures and the black steel of the supporting MSE Welded Wire Walls develop a vibrant patina that gives a rustic appearance. And, since weathering steel does not need to be painted, it saves the resort future maintenance dollars and it save the environment from impacts related to the manufacture and future removal of volatile organic compounds from oil-based coatings.

And speaking of savings, these economical bridges are shipped in modular sections, so they can be installed in a fraction of the time needed for most traditional bridge systems. Small, non-specialized crews often install them within a day.

Partners in the multi-year development were consulting engineers, Psomas Engineering, and contractor, Ames Construction.

• The Colony at White Pine Canyon
• PSOMAS Engineering
• Ames Contstruction, Inc.

Big R Bridge recently completed a contract to manufacture a 420’ Bolt-A-Plate bottomless crossing with seven elbows in it to follow the path of a winding creek under a major new road in Canton, GA.

By staying outside of the creek banks and not disturbing the waterway, we were able to save the owner thousands of dollars in construction costs and environmental impact fees, over a traditional bridge and concrete structure. Several of these options were considered, however the Bolt-A-Plate option became the obvious choice being the most economical and environmentally-friendly.

Commerce Boulevard is a new road serving a commercial area, a hospital and a future residential area. The four-lane parkway with sidewalks has a 40’ cover depth, which added to the culvert length requirements. The structure had a span of 20’ and a rise of 10’ with 2:1 beveled-ends. The project was completed in 6 ½ weeks with 4 weeks for rock excavation and forming/pouring of approximately 500 cubic yards of concrete. We prefabricated the elbows at our plant, allowing the contractor to assemble the entire structure in only 1 ½ weeks. The final week was for the engineered backfill zone.

The overall site and roadway was contracted and managed by N.J. Wilbanks Contractor, Inc. from Canton, GA. The subcontractor for the structure, and Big R Bridge's client, was North Georgia Concrete Inc, of Dahlonega. Past successes on similar projects were instrumental in helping us secure this project.

Strong, economical, lightweight and made from recycled steel, Bolt-A-Plate is ideal for new site developments, county stream crossings, as well as urban rehabilitations. It comes in Standard, Low and High Profile Arches, Pear Shapes, Round Pipes, Pipe-Arches and Ellipticals.

Big R bridge recently provided a 480ft span pedestrian bridge to allow safe passage over a busy highway for the Stevens Creek Trail in Mountain View California. This elegant box truss design was supplied in four spans, and completely spanned Moffett Blvd and an adjacent access ramp. The full trail length, from San Francisco Bay at Shoreline Park to Sleeper Avenue, is 4.8 miles.

The Stevens Creek Trail route travels through four cities and many neighborhoods, business centers, and school grounds. Over 40,000 people live within walking distance of the Trail. The 30,000 who work near the creek can also benefit from access to the Trail for lunch breaks, alternate transportation, and opportunities to relax in natural environments

On March 31, Dave Wilke will retire from Big R Bridge after 37 years of dedicated service.

Dave was one of the founders of Big R Bridge, and was instrumental in our continued growth and success over the past 37 years.

He will be missed by his many loyal customers and all of us at Big R.

Congratulations Dave!

Dave (left) is shown here with the president of AIL, Mike Wilson.

Dennis Corporation, a licensed civil engineering, surveying and construction management firm located in Columbia, SC, was recently awarded an Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies for its Roddey Drive Pedestrian Bridge and Sidewalks project in Lancaster, SC. Central to the project's success story, was a custom-designed bridge solution from Big R Bridge.

Dennis Corporation's innovative and cost-effective project consisted of a single-span pedestrian bridge across Gills Creek and an interconnected system of sidewalks along Roddey Drive designed to provide a safe passageway for almost 14,000 students attending three schools from nearby neighbourhoods. Prior to the construction of the new bridge and sidewalks, pedestrians had to utilize a small, two-lane vehicular bridge and connecting roads as their only access — walking along the shoulders of the narrow bridge and roads, mere inches away from busy traffic.

Gills Creek is part of the Katawba Valley Land Trust Greenway and a valued habitat for six threatened and endangered species. Sandwiched between the existing vehicular bridge and an active sewer main crossing, it was vital that the minimum amount of site disturbance take place to preserve the integrity of this protected habitat.

After reviewing several design options, a single-span arched design from Big R Bridge was chosen. The bridge was then pre-fabricated by Big R and shipped to the site where a crane set the bridge on pre-installed concrete footings with surgical precision. The single-span 124'-6" bowstring truss design alleviated the need for supports that would intrude on Gills Creek and potentially cause environmental impacts to the threatened and endangered species or water quality of the Katawba Valley Land Trust Greenway.

Dennis Corporation also specified weathering steel (also known as COR-TEN steel), with a pinewood boardwalk. Weathering steel saves the City maintenance dollars and reduces environmental impacts because it requires no painting and has a 100-year maintenance free design service life. Since weathering steel does not need to be painted, the emissions and future removal of volatile organic compounds from oil-based coatings are eliminated from the environment. Plus, the steel alloy composition of weathering steel develops a vibrant rust coating, or patina, that gives the appearance of age in keeping with other historic monuments and architectural features of Lancaster.

Incorporating AASHTO's wheelchair- and handicapped-access standards, the new bridge also improved access between the schools and the neighborhoods with added width and handrails.

On the occasion of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, City of Lancaster's Director of Support Services, Teresa Meeks, noted,

The construction of the bridge resembled a well-orchestrated dance, perfectly timed and beautiful. Dennis Corporation exceeded the City of Lancaster's expectations by providing sound engineering solutions and a common sense approach to funding, planning, design and public relations in order to complete the Roddey Drive Pedestrian Bridge and Sidewalks project under budget and before the 2008–2009 academic school year.

On behalf of everyone at Big R Bridge, we congratulate our project partner, Dennis Corporation, on earning this prestigious award and thank them for choosing The Right Bridge. Built Right.

With a focus on protecting the natural environment, Thousand Trails is the largest private system of RV camping and outdoor preserves in America. So, when an aging timber bridge structure collapsed at their Yosemite Lakes Preserve in California, it was critical that the replacement would have minimal environmental impact on the waterway.

A custom solution from Big R Bridge was the natural choice.

Park authorities made it clear that they wanted the new bridge to drop into place on the existing concrete abutments and piers with minimal disruption and delay. The engineering teams at Big R designed a two-piece Modular Steel Bridge with a timber deck and a custom vehicle/pedestrian rail system that snugged into the existing site just perfectly. The bridge (72' 6" long x 20' wide) installed the same day it was delivered, making happy campers out of everyone involved — even the fish!

An added bonus? The new bridge, being made out of high-quality American recycled steel, gave a little extra help to our environment.