Today we finished the concrete for the sidewalks
across the bridge.

Working on adding dense graded crushed stone
to the subbase on the south end of the bridge.
Traffic was so heavy today that we didn't get
all of it done in preparation for the paving crew
to cover it on Monday. It's amazing how many
people are out and driving around in the middle
of a weekday in this town.

The subbase on the north end is now up to bottom

of pavement level. The detour is now very steep.

We will pave the parts of the detour that we have

disturbed on Monday when we pave the new part

of the roadway.

Now that the roadway is higher and the waterline
installed, they then could put the stormwater
drainage system over it. Maintaining traffic with
this work is very difficult and we hear of big delays.
We have no choice but to run one way traffic through
the project for part of the day.

We Placed a small part of the concrete sidewalk.

Tying epoxy coated reinforcing steel for the
concrete sidewalk with granite curb.

With the roadway grade now up closer to finish grade

we then could make the final connection of the 12" waterline.

Today we poured the concrete for approach slab 2 and made

the final connection for the fiber optic conduits. But the biggest
part of the day was to remove the old pavement and build the roadway
up higher with crushed stone. The amount of traffic in
Randolph in the middle of a Monday is incredible. Traffic must be stopped
in one lane while we work on the other, and this backs traffic up big time.
We hope to have it all ready for paving by next Monday.

Concrete being placed for abutment 1 approach slab.
This is the transition area from the roadway to the bridge.
Without one a bump usually develops over time.

Installing drop inlets, drain pipes and fiber optic conduit lines.

Setting the granite curb along the sidewalks on the bridge.

Concrete encased ducts for fiber optic phone lines and
storm water drains installed on the North end of the bridge.

Working on the 12" waterline.

The concrete must wet cure for 10 days. The brown is
burlap cloth and there are sprinkler hoses on top.

Concrete pumped onto the deck, and then screeded.

Wet Burlap added very close behind the operation.

click the > to play a short video of the placement

Deck reinforcing steel is nearly complete. The Yellow machine in the middle of the bridge is called a screed machine. The concrete will be pumped onto the deck, and the screed machine will smooth the concrete out to a uniform 9" thick layer. We will start Monday morning and the 250 cy will be placed in about 5 hours.

Epoxy Coated Reinforcing steel being placed on the deck.

Some of the crew are working on the waterline adding insulation and heat tape. The above picture is where the waterline comes through the backwall on the abutment.

Welding shear connectors (studs) onto the tops of the girders. They look like big nails welded to the steel. This is what connects the concrete to the structural steel. They guy doing the welding is Ralph Darrah. He grew up in nearby Rochester.

The Stay-in-Place forms are now complete.

Forming the outside portion of the deck with wood forms that will be removed after the deck is cured.
On a side note, I have had a lot of comments about the steel girders being rusty. The weathering process (rust) that occurs after installation eventually decreases and from that point on the finish acts as a protective coating for the base metal. This steel never completely stops rusting. It develops an oxide on its surface that essentially stops corrosion.
Funny....rust that stops rust.

We continue to add SIP forms for the concrete deck. Shear Studs Saturday, Reinforcing and fascia forms thoughout the week. Possible deck pour on Monday the 17th

Installing Stay-in-Place forms for the concrete deck