Railway Interchange 2017 Buzz

Structures Technical Presentation: The Portageville High Bridge Replacement Project (Room Sagamore Ballroom)

18 Sep 17
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM

Tracks: AREMA Committee Meeting, AREMA Full Program, AREMA Technical Sessions- Structures

Speaker(s): Carmen Garozzo, National Practice Leader - Rail, Bergmann Associates; Howard Swanson, Assistant Chief Engineer, Norfolk Southern Corporation

Constructed in 1851, the original Portageville Bridge was 800 feet in length and stood 234 feet above the Genesee River. It was the largest and longest timber structure in the world, before it was destroyed by fire in 1875. The replacement bridge was constructed and placed in service in only 85 days after the fire. The tower spans were replaced in 1903 and in 1940 the tower legs were reinforced. The bridge is located in Letchworth State Park and stands above a waterfall. The park area near the bridge is known as the Grand Canyon of the East due to the deep gorge and three closely spaced waterfalls. The replacement of this structure started in late 2015 and will be nearing completion at the time of the AREMA conference. The new structure will feature a 483 foot steel arch spanning over the Genesee River Gorge with foundations of the arch structure built into the gorge walls. The arch span will be equally flanked on both sides by three 80 foot long approach spans and are supported by large concrete piers that are up to 50 feet tall. This presentation will focus on: • The control blasting and excavation that was required to construct the arch foundations • The stabilization of the gorge walls after blasting • The thermal control plan that was required for the building of the concrete piers and the arch foundations • Environmental concerns working in a sensitive area