What was needed here was a healthier Gut. The 80-year-old bobtail swing bridge had undergone multiple mechanical failures, and the process of replacement had been underway for almost a decade. Design innovations included abutments founded on bedrock constructed without traditional cofferdams. An orthotropic deck was constructed to minimize structure depth and weight. Critical bearings are located above the floodplain and the girders are sealed box elements protected by metallizing. The contractor performed in a tight working area, 80 ft by 100 ft, and the channel could only be closed for 213 days.
