The Market Street Bridge over the Ohio River was facing closure with an overall bridge rating of “poor” and a reduced load rating. With funding constraints and the prospect of a new bridge years away, community leaders sought options to extend the life of the deteriorating, century-old span until a new river crossing could be constructed.
With cumulative knowledge the structure acquired from annual bridge inspections dating back to 1991, Burgess & Niple was selected by the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) to design a quick and cost-effective solution for rehabilitating the Market Street Bridge.
To qualify for available funding, B&N was challenged to evaluate the most critical needs and design repairs in an aggressive 10-week timeframe. Using combined expertise in bridge inspection and design, B&N accelerated the design of structural steel repairs by using inspection photography in the rehabilitation plans. Repair notes and other details were superimposed onto the photographs, providing the contractor with a three-dimensional perspective of the necessary repairs.
The plans included reinforced steel components to strengthen the bridge. Instead of temporarily supporting bridge floor beams to repair suspender cables, permanent back-up systems were designed to support the floor beams, providing redundancy and added support. New technology also allowed for the use of materials that reduce bridge maintenance.
In addition to structural repairs, the renovated bridge includes decorative LED lighting, also designed by B&N.
The Market Street Bridge received the Silver Award in the 2012 American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of West Virginia Engineering Excellence Awards competition.