Speaking

Towering 876 feet over the New River Gorge in West Virginia, the New River Gorge Bridge is one of the highest vehicular bridges in the United States. With a main span of 1,700 feet, it also is the longest steel arch bridge in the western hemisphere. Join Matt and WVDOT Bridge Inspection Program Manager Billy Varney, PE, to see construction videos and photos of the ongoing rehabilitation and learn about the inspections using rope access, the 3-D finite element analysis, and unique repair methods and materials.

See the New River Gorge Bridge up close during the SASHTO Catwalk Tour on August 28th! See conference program for details. Advance reservations required.

This presentation will highlight the challenges faced during the planning and construction of the new I-79 interchange in Morgantown, West Virginia, including a former coal mine, acid mine drainage pipelines, steep mountainous terrain, structures, a cemetery, streams, and wetlands. Matt and Dirar Ahmad, PE from the WVDOT Engineering Division will discuss how the design team approached these challenges and adapted the design in a way that optimizes the value of the future parcels. The new interchange will provide better access to a growing community and will be designed to serve up to 180 acres of commercial development as well as the new community baseball stadium.

The presentation also will highlight how B&N, WVDOT and the land developer collaborated to produce NEPA documents and advertise a design-build proposal within an aggressive timeframe. WVDOT will conclude with a photo walk-through of the construction process.