as they come together and fills the tiny imperfections in the faces. Later during construction of new on- and off-ramps in the M-13 interchange on the bridge approach, workers uncovered an uncharted landfill containing PCB-contaminated waste, necessitating an environmental cleanup. The dramatic failure of the Zilwaukee Bridge was successfully repaired by the State of Michigan in 1983. SAGINAW, Mich. Friday marks 35 years since the Michigan Department of Transportation opened the Zilwaukee Bridge. and one set outside were specially tailored to cast the 1,592 segments While the Zilwaukee Bridge is a bit shorter than the Mackinac Bridge, it is much wider. The state fired the original contractors and the constant bridge problems started getting heat from angry legislators in Lansing. planned at that time, the 1953 bypass would become part of a much bigger Each cable is stretched with hydraulic jacks, stressed to nearly 200 tons, On precast segmental bridges, the concrete segments must be delivered T-shirts and other items emblazoned with an image of a broken Zilwaukee Bridge and the word "Oops were available at local gas stations, according to residents. Around the time of opening, the Zilwaukee Bridge saw roughly 11.3 million vehicles cross per year, according to MDOT. Adding insult to injury, the contractor discovered that more than 30 of the new bearings weren't properly designed and would not fit where they were to be installed. This important artery allows traffic to move through the area without. The current bridge replaced a smaller, bascule bridge (drawbridge) that was built in 1960. A 1960 article in the Lansing State Journal reported about a German-registry lake freighter, carrying 4,300 tons of scrap steel, slamming into the draw bridge after the bridge was jammed in the open position. The Zilwauke Bridge is so high because it must allow boats to past. The It was thought that this would accommodate both boat and vehicle traffic. the bridge. This important artery allows traffic to move through the area without entering downtown Saginaw. It caused serious damage. (Please remember while reading the report, Cables in the bridge run through galvanized steel ducts that have been Really makes me wonder - if that was a seriously considered plan, what happened? ), The The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the U.S. state of Michigan. SAGINAW, Mich. - Friday marks 35 years since the Michigan Department of Transportation opened the Zilwaukee Bridge. The freighter was fine but the bridge suffered substantial damage. filled with cement grout under high pressure. with post-tensioned steel cables to form the deck, or superstructure, of The bridge is named after the small city in Saginaw County, Zilwaukee, obviously. The Zilwaukee Bridge wasnt the only option pitched when thinking about how to stop the traffic jams. The best, most concise description of the Zilwaukee Bridge can be found There were engineering calculations done that said this needs to be here and this load needs to be here and this counterweight needs to be here6 and it simply was not followed, former MDOT Chief Bridge Engineer Matt Chynoweth said. The weight of the launching girder, combined with the truck carrying a Now, the bridge is very busy. In a recent e-mail to staffers, Kahn said he was concerned that this is a potential recurring construction mistake, recurring unnecessary costs and delays, and potentially dangerous at projects statewide. In the early-1950s, the Michigan State Highway Department constructed a Cracks smaller than .004 inches called tendons, to form a solid unit. With the implementation of Interstate Highway System, developed by the Dwight D. Eisenhower administration, the two-lane highway was incorporated into the new highway which ran from Detroit to the Mackinac Bridge. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. and can roll across these legs when necessary to move to a new position All rights reserved. deck of the old drawbridge now rests on the bottom of Lake Huron as a fish in the first place. The segments at Zilwaukee were constructed at a specially designed casting Cast-in-place bridge segments are cast in traveling forms placed in an MDOT-produced publication from the early-1990s: The The project ran from April 2013 through 2015. There are some things that were really exciting for us as kids, but which are pretty annoying as adults. It was actually a four-lane draw bridge and a freeway beginning at the northern end of the. Why is the Zilwaukee Bridge so tall? BAY CITY, Mich - Bay County 911 reports there are two different multi-vehicle accidents on both northbound and southbound I-75 on top of the Zilwaukee Bridge. Another important step is taken to protect steel cables from corrosion. back end and drives directly off. There will be about 27,000 miles of eighth-inch wire in the completed 1.5-mile-long bridge. Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Tampa, Fla., opened in 1987. And it wasnt just the cars that suffered. originally and prevents water seepage. The bridge was built segment by segment, working from one end of the river toward the other side. with many steel cables to form the decks.]. Instead, a chemical compound called calcium magnesium acetate is used as an alternative. A bit of a boring one, the Zilwaukee Bridge carries I-75 and US-23 over the Saginaw River and connects Zilwaukee with Zilwaukee Township. Today, the Zilwaukee Bridge is the major artery connecting the north of Michigan to Detroit. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level bridge carrying I-75 (and U.S. 23) over the Saginaw River at Zilwaukee. Instead, a chemical compound called calcium magnesium acetate is used as an alternative. Create your account. Traffic is being rerouted along as follows: Wednesdays - Saturdays (AP Photo/Michael Hollenbeck/The Saginaw News. Segmental bridges are in two general categories: precase and cast-in-place. While the most obvious Back to: Section 2: Background Well, hold on -- not exactly. Prior to that, all through traffic in the Saginaw area was funnelled were routed over the bridge for the first time on Wednesday, December 23, On some cold days these new sections could not be properly sealed against water infiltration, eventually leading to spalling as the water froze and expanded. pieces will fit perfectly when they are placed together on the bridge. Hydraulic presses were used to realign the bridge. new eastern bypass of Saginaw for through US-23 traffic, I believe it was demolished in 1989. According to a story The bridge carries the I-75 / US 23 road. The segment of freeway utilizing the Zilwaukee Bridge is part of I-75 and US23. The tractor and trailer combined weigh 102 tons. in 1953. As an aid in joining each precast piece to its mate, high-strength epoxy copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning, Michigan Published: Jan. 16, 2023 at 8:39 AM PST. to traffic, the bad news did not stop even after motorists had been using The four-lane, bascule bridge (or drawbridge) opened in 1960. Much more on the where they are to be erected. After the termination of the original contract, the state found a new contractor to continue work. Nearly having to start over, construction took another 3 years, but in winter of 1987, the northbound lanes of the Zilwaukee Bridge finally opened to the public. It makes for an imposing sight, and the Zilwaukee Riverfront Park sits nearby. back to a major construction accident while bridge was not yet half completed The southbound lanes opened in the fall of 1988, at which point the old bascule bridge was officially closed. as well. However, let's step back in time to the genesis of the crossing I-675 was built, in part, to help traffic bypass the original drawbridge while the current high-level Zilwaukee Bridge was being proposed and constructed, in addition to providing better access into and through downtown Saginaw. MDOT has concluded no one was at fault and blamed three-decade-old as built drawings that didnt show where the steel was located as the problem. A contingent of lawmakers planned to tour the bridge today after a Saginaw News investigation sparked inquiries about the agencys investigation into the mishap. While a decommissioning of the Zilwaukee bridge is a long way off, the bridge's lifespan is probably in the ballpark of 80 to 100 years, said Gregg Brunner, associate region engineer with the Michigan Department of Transportation. Thus, the new bridge is In 1979, with its Joint Venture partner Stevin Construction, Toebe won the contract to construct the Zilwaukee Bridge near Saginaw, Michigan. Heres an aerial map that shows the location of the draw bridge vs. the new bridge: Construction on the new structure, projected to cost about $77 million without ramps and approaches, started in late 1979. The main strength of the bridge comes from its 4,000 miles of steel tension cables hidden away in the concrete. Work began on the southbound span first during 2013 and then transitioned over to the northbound bridge during 2014. Most roads are bridges are simple structures, he said. So a new footing was built over the old footing and that is anchored down into bedrock, Chynoweth said. Some believe this Michigan bridge marks the start of Up North. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a.high level bridge carrying I-75 [and US-23] over the Saginaw River at Zilwaukee. In order to provide you with the best online experience this website uses cookies. While no Saginaw River crossing seems to have been (Thanks to Claire Kerk for the tip!). Unfortunately, that wasn't the reality. The bridge was only 150 feet wide and several ships actually hit Traffic was shut down for about six months, before reopening in October of 2008. polychorinated biphenyl will cost at least $100,000 and could delay completion The Aerial map of Zilwaukee Bridges by Chris Bessert/Michigan Highways. an outmoded, inadequate drawbridge that caused backups on the freeway every In fact, in 1979, the traffic jam was a whopping 56 miles long. Do you know anyspectacular road?Click here to send us all the info, and we'll publish it! That same year, S.J. The largest segments concrete, forming another layer of protection for the steel cables. 23 chapters | . If youd like to read more in depth about the history of the Zilwaukee Bridge, check out this A-to-Z guide from Michigan Highways. These features expand or contract with the temperature, giving the bridge the ability to adjust to both the warm Michigan summers and extreme colds of winter without sacrificing structural stability. or pillar. MDOT's policy requires concrete cracks be repaired if they are larger than If not replaced, the normal shifting movements of the bridge would cause additional damage, thus reducing its lifespan. Authorities chose the lower-cost option. This is the first time it has ever been an issue.. The solution was ingenious: pipes filled with refrigerant were inserted into the bedrock and then frozen to create a firm foundation for the bridge. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. In May of 1987, the Michigan TIL of Zilwaukee, a town in northern Michigan. The issue of one-way traffic is of great concern to local businesses and local government, he wrote in the letter to Steudle. the safety of the Zilwaukee Bridge, then nearing completion. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). A 1,700-ton launching girder atop the bridge is equipped with a crane that takes the segment and puts it into place. Saturday, August 20th 2022 Crashes impacting NB and SB 75 on the Zilwaukee Bridge. When the bridge opened for river traffic, it sometimes caused miles-long traffic jams, especially during heavy travel days around the holidays and the start of firearms deer hunting season. Rod Meloni is an Emmy Award-winning Business Editor on Local 4 News and a Certified Financial Planner Professional. When the balanced group of four segments is in place, a segment is again The initial budget of $79 million had already been exceeded by $48 million, when at time in 1982, the bridge was roughly two-thirds completed, and a 150-foot (46 m) long segment weighing 6,700-ton (6,070 metric tonnes), not being properly counterbalanced, tipped down to being five feet (1.5 m) out of alignment, with the other end rising 3.5 feet (1.1 m). Share YOUR roads!We'vemorethan 13.000 roads but we want more! It was the only stop on I-75 from southern Florida to the northern tip of Michigan. The first contract totaled $75 million. In November 1978, bids were taken for either a steel or concrete bridge, according to MDOT records. completely cured, the expoxy is stronger than the concrete segments which You are being asked to avoid the area. Sometimes, the back-ups exceeded 30 miles and several hours in length. The state spent $120 million to build the bridge but design problems and long delays left everyone uncertain it would ever get used. Less than fifteen years after the original bascule bridge was opened, But in August of 1982, after more than half the bridge had taken shape disaster struck. The original completion date for the Zilwaukee Bridge was November 1983. built in western Europe and have been found to be generally more economical A recent, major update in 2013 through 2015 replaced the original bearing pads at piers and expansion joints., which had a lifespan of around 25 years, Brunner said. On December 7, 2012 the Detroit News reported that a $70 million MDOT program would commence the following April to replace 154 bearings, rebuild 4 miles of I-75, replace the Janes Road bridge, and repair the CSX and Wadsworth Road rail bridges in the area. [5] During 2014, special custom-made jacks were put into place as a stop-gap measure while bearings were replaced.[6]. A pier footing cracked, presumably due to resulting stress. Construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee Bridge this week. It was a lime-stone hauler from Buffalo. Though some have speculated that the bridge was glued together, theyre not entirely far off. Only one side of the bridge is open at a time, and traffic is shifted on Tuesday and Saturday, based on peak times. Along with asking for new procedures so that mistakes are not made due to outdated blueprints, the letter asked the agency to notify the senators office when the procedures are finalized.. the decision came to replace it with a high-level bridge. MDOT spokesman William L. Shreck said old construction plans are not a new issue, but the problem with the Zilwaukee Bridge was. Increased traffic led to the construction of a four-lane drawbridge that raised to let boats pass in 1960. The Zilwaukee Bridge exists as an alternative to the federal governments original I-75 design. 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