EVENT DETAIL

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is rehabilitating, repairing, and repainting the steel superstructure and replacing the deck of the Chestnut Street (PA Route 3) bridge over the Schuylkill River that connects Center City with University City and West Philadelphia. This is part of an overall $104 million effort which will also replace the decks of three adjacent Chestnut Street bridges (over 30th Street and Amtrak, over CSX Railroad, and over 24th Street), two viaducts on Schuylkill Avenue and two ramp structures for I-76 (Chestnut Street westbound off-ramp (Ramp A) and Walnut Street eastbound on-ramp (Ramp B)). This investment in Center City's transportation infrastructure, started in summer 2017, will be completed in three major construction stages over 3½ years. It will continue PennDOT’s commitment to bridge preservation.

The Chestnut Street structures included in this project were constructed between 1864 and 1960 and carry an average of 18,300 vehicles per day. A localized traffic detour is currently in place for approximately one year to permit rehabilitation of the structurally deficient, weight-posted masonry arch bridge structure over CSX Railroad. In early 2020, the Schuylkill River Trail will be closed in this area for approximately three months for repairs to a retaining wall. Local access will be maintained up to and through most of the construction zone. The project schedule is tight for the scope of work to be completed. In order to maintain the schedule, span 2 of the CSX arch (originally to be supported using shoring towers) utilized a better and faster solution with the use of lightweight glass aggregate fill. It was easily placed with a conveyor and retained with a wire wall and can be removed at a later time if needed. Given the ease of installation and schedule considerations, the use of lightweight aggregate fill was found to be the right solution for the project.

Buckley and Filshill will outline how the lightweight glass aggregate fill was utilized for this purpose.

Participation in this presentation entitles each attendee to one (1) PDH for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Professional Engineer Continuing Education Requirements. PDH certificates will be distributed at the end of the presentation.