Lochmueller provided design and environmental services for the bridge deck overlay projects on SR 23 over Lincoln Way and SR 23 over Mishawaka Avenue bridges in St. Joseph County as part of an on-call contract. SR 23 over Lincoln Way is a 3-span composite steel beam bridge with prestressed concrete I-beam approach spans with an out-to-out length of 147’-6” and an out-to-out width of 116’-6”. SR 23 over Mishawaka Avenue is a 3-span, curved prestressed concrete I-beam bridge with an out-to-out length of 148’-8½” and an out-to-out width of 88’-4”.
The proposed scope of work included hydrodemolition, partial- and full-depth bridge patching, rigid bridge deck overlay, reinforced concrete bridge approach slab replacement, terminal joint replacement, limited concrete pavement replacement, filling voids in slope walls, and substructure patching.
During design, Lochmueller worked with the District, INDOT Pavement Design, and INDOT Bridge Rehabilitation to develop a bridge deck overlay and pavement recommendations that reduced the overall limits of the work. This eliminated impacts to the SR 23 over St. Joseph River bridge, located between the Lincoln Way and Mishawaka Avenue bridges, which had just completed an extensive rehabilitation. By increasing the depth of the initial milling, a standard bridge deck overlay could be placed without requiring profile grade modifications to the surrounding corridor.
The project also had some challenges. Extensive beam end deterioration was discovered during construction, so the team worked with INDOT and the Contractor to identify the long-term plan for the structure, evaluate different repair alternatives, and ultimately design and detail a rehabilitation plan. Using the beam delivery as the critical path, Lochmueller staged the design and plan details to enable the contractor to have delivery of the new beams the first week of spring construction, ensuring the bridge could be finished in time for Notre Dame Football season.
Construction is now finished, and it is fully reopened to traffic!
