Crews recently completed construction for the Monroe Street Bridge replacement project in Washington D.C.
The new bridge—which connects the neighborhoods of Brookland and University Heights—was designed to enhance safety and reliability of the rail overpass crossing for vehicular and bicycle traffic in addition to improving pedestrian access and safety.
“The Monroe Street Bridge is a vital link for large volumes of traffic between northwest and northeast Washington D.C.,” Ed Chamberlayne, vice president and project principal for WSP, which provided construction management services for the project, said in a statement. “It serves a vibrant community of retail stores and art galleries, residential dwellings, houses of worship, and the Catholic University of America.”
The existing 122-ft-long pre-stressed concrete bridge was built in 1931 and rehabilitated in 1974, but it has since deteriorated significantly. The District DOT (DDOT) implemented the project to reconstruct the bridge and improve associated infrastructure and utilities, including important connections for gas, electric and communications over the existing train tracks and station below.
The new bridge features a three-span steel superstructure and rehabilitated and repaired substructure, crossing the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metro and CSX railroad tracks, and Brookland-CUA Metro Station platform. It also incorporates new sidewalks, bike track, streetscaping, lighting and traffic signals. The overhead power lines and poles were eliminated by placing power lines underground, substantially improving access and safety for pedestrians.
The bridge fully opened to vehicle traffic in October after two years of construction.
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SOURCE: WSP USA
