Summer is a great time for road and bridge construction in Georgia, as the weather is mostly sunny and hot apart from the occasional storm. Crews working on projects in rural Georgia tend to have additional challenges in summer: an abundance of annoying gnats and surprise snakes, especially in or near rivers or lakes. Recent storms in Southern Georgia have made it so that at the US 82 bridge replacement site, teams are dealing with a LOT of mud and a LOT of gnats, and they're taking a LOT of care to make sure no one steps on a hidden water moccasin.
All of this is happening while the crews need to be focused on accurate measurements and maneuvering. The work underway involves driving the future bridge's piles, or long concrete columns that are forced down into the ground and will form part of the foundation. On the west end of the project, you can see piles that have already been driven. The two on the ends may look crooked, but they are at the exact angles necessary for the bridge's design. You can also see piles with a wooden framework on top. Soon, a team will pour concrete into that wooden form to build a cap, or wedge that will distribute the bridge deck's weight evenly across the piles.
All of this is happening while the crews need to be focused on accurate measurements and maneuvering. The work underway involves driving the future bridge's piles, or long concrete columns that are forced down into the ground and will form part of the foundation. On the west end of the project, you can see piles that have already been driven. The two on the ends may look crooked, but they are at the exact angles necessary for the bridge's design. You can also see piles with a wooden framework on top. Soon, a team will pour concrete into that wooden form to build a cap, or wedge that will distribute the bridge deck's weight evenly across the piles.
On the east end of the site, workers are driving test piles to make sure they know exactly how deep to push them into the earth. See those tall columns in the middle? Those are test piles. Some crew members are building a steel 'template' that will guide the piles into the ground at exactly the right location and angle. The girders themselves must be lifted with extreme care, as they can weigh hundreds of pounds per foot.
While one group is readying a girder, another is perched high above the riverbank. A welder is preparing their platform to fit the waiting girder. The crew use an umbrella to ensure the sun's bright overhead glare doesn't interfere with the shaping. Occasionally, a test pile is lifted up by another crane so that the workers can check how well their metal template is coming together. It must be exactly right, or the piles won't be in their proper places and the bridge's foundation won't be as stable.
As you can see, there's a lot of interesting activity at the bridge project site. Just as the workers have to be alert despite the mud, bugs and serpents, drivers must also keep their focus on their task at hand: driving safely through the work zone. Remember, #DriveAlert and #ArriveAliveGA, and keep your eyes on the road and not on the construction. I'll make sure see lots of progress in our TIA social media and here on this blog.