no alterationsgrammatical or otherwisehave been made. to meet back up with US-23 (present-day M-13) Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The bid for the steel bridge totaled $86.2 million. problems concerned the massive traffic tie-ups on the freeway each time This process is repeated until the entire span is closed. The original Zilwaukee Bridge ended up causing more traffic than it eased, due to the fact that commuters in both directions had to stop whenever the drawbridge opened. Well, hold on -- not exactly. The bridge carries the I-75 / US 23 road. All rights reserved (About Us). Thus, the new bridge is Why is the Zilwaukee Bridge so tall? It helps prevent water and roadway contaminants The This technology has gained rapid acceptance and has spread to other countries. Six steps were required to bring the tilted 300-foot deck section back to its intened position. Without the Zilwaukee Bridge, it would be much more difficult for drivers to pass through the region. And it wasnt just the cars that suffered. Mark Brush was Michigan Radios Digital Media Director. But in the 1980s, the Zilwaukee Bridge controversially turned into Michigans most expensive. Hydraulic presses were used to realign the bridge. He's been with WDIV since 2013. to traffic, the bad news did not stop even after motorists had been using Technology for ost-tensioned, segmental, box girder bridges was developed My concern is (if) there are other examples out there of marked drawings that are incomplete. The Zilwaukee Bridge has some impressive specifications. through downtown via US-10 and US-23. However, the most significant reason was the overloading of the expansion joint. Each segment is manufactured with 10,000 pounds of reinforcing steel inside. The total cost of the bridge project was around $127 million, with the federal funds paying for 90 percent of it, according to MDOT records. Adam has taught history, government, and economics to students in grades 6-12 for five years. concrete, forming another layer of protection for the steel cables. The building and opening of the Zilwaukee Bridge: Yet, five years later than expected, on Dec. 23, 1987, the first vehicles crossed the northbound side. It was a lime-stone hauler from Buffalo. While the bridge has performed very well in the years since it has opened The first two of those still serve this route across the current Zilwaukee Bridge today, but U.S. 10 was scaled back to end west of Bay City at around the same time that this bridge was replaced with that one. had also been converted to full freeway with overpasses and interchanges The Zilwaukee Bridge is a.high level bridge carrying I-75 [and US-23] over the Saginaw River at Zilwaukee. In 1960, the new route opened -- and the Zilwaukee Bridge was born. He was 49 years old. If youd like to read more in depth about the history of the Zilwaukee Bridge, check out this A-to-Z guide from Michigan Highways. Cast-in-place bridge segments are cast in traveling forms placed In April 2008, a scheduled $3.3-million construction project to replace bridge bearingsdesigned to support up to 8,000,000 pounds eachwhich allow the bridge to move as much as a foot hit a snag. The towns population, as of 2010, was about 1,600. The town's founders called it Zilwaukee to confuse it with the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in hopes of luring settlers there to work. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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The final bridge would not be completed until 1987-88, but finally, the people of Zilwaukee had a bridge that could handle their growth. Unfortunately, something happened that would change that plan. The northbound portion of the bridge was finally opened to traffic on December 23, 1987, just in time for Christmas. You are still completely responsible for your decisions, your actions, and your safety. Ken Haddad is the digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com. In 1979, construction on the elevated Zilwaukee Bridge, which accommodates both boat and vehicle traffic, began. Once repairs were made, a new contractor was hired to complete the bridge once the initial contractor (Stevin Construction) and the state agreed to terminate their contract in exchange for both sides dropping their lawsuits over the accident. as they come together and fills the tiny imperfections in the faces. Segments are transported from the fabricating plant to the bridge by a Well, hold on -- not exactly. These joints have to be kept perfectly immobile during construction, so they are filled with temporary blocks held in place with steel tendons. The Saginaw News article also details an instance where Michigan State Police raised the bridge to stop a fleeing criminal on I-75. In this installment, MDOT. called tendons, to form a solid unit. dangerousroads.org is not responsible for the information contained in these pages. In 1960, the new route opened -- and the Zilwaukee Bridge was born. At Zilwaukee, these jobs are accomplished by two specially Because it would be virtually impossible It also damaged the pier underneath. Insofar as that is the case, we will have continuing problems with repairs, whether its bridges, roads or any other construction projects that the state of Michigan has undertaken.. There are some things that were really exciting for us as kids, but which are pretty annoying as adults. the span for more than a year. The expectation was that adding this additional crossing would give vehicles more options and more direct routes, breaking up the traffic along the growing interstate. The current bridge replaced a smaller, bascule bridge (drawbridge) that was built in 1960. The $3.3 million project was further hindered when crews determined that more than 30 new bearings were not designed properly. Others just marvel at its vast span and view of the Saginaw River. The northbound lane of bridge is now closed due to construction and will likely remain closed through July 4 . Five sets of casting forms inside the building Still looking for information "and Bay City officials want to buy it, dismantle it and move it 7 1/2 miles north to replace bridge in city that collapsed in the 1950s. For five years, it has routinely stored blueprints electronically, he Zilwaukee Bridge is ahigh level bridge carrying I-75 [and US-23] over After the cleanup and investigations and hiring of new contractors, work didn't resume until late 1984. We had to wait in line. In the 1950s, Michigan expanded its transportation system expanding north from Saginaw and through Zilwaukee. In the 1980's, Toebe completed a number of large . in 1953. While the need for a replacement of the original structure became acute soon after it was completed,[3] the construction of the current structure was also plagued with difficulties. fabrication of the segments. On December 7, 2012 the Detroit News reported that a $70 million MDOT program would commence the following April to replace 154 bearings, rebuild 4 miles of I-75, replace the Janes Road bridge, and repair the CSX and Wadsworth Road rail bridges in the area. Rod Meloni is an Emmy Award-winning Business Editor on Local 4 News and a Certified Financial Planner Professional. in the first place. Next: Section 4: The Accident it was issued prior to the completion of the bridge and is worded accordingly. The segments are joined 10. Construction of the bridge would resume. They weigh between This would have been a big enough problem with only the increased vehicle traffic, but Michigan's growing economy also meant that shipping traffic was rapidly increasing. The two new segments then are stressed to the onto the bridge, unhooks from the front end of the trailer, hooks to the You are being asked to avoid the. The immediate response to the accident was to halt construction and investigate the extent of the damage. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. Department of Transportation issued a report detailing the background A 69 News crew is at the scene of this developing story. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. Construction on the new Zilwaukee Bridge began in 1979. This important artery allows traffic to move through the area without. It caused serious damage. are 73.5 feet wide and either eight feet or 12 feet long. the crossing would cause more problems then it solved. The weight of the launching girder, combined with the truck carrying a MDOT has concluded no one was at fault and blamed three-decade-old as built drawings that didnt show where the steel was located as the problem. The Zilwaukee Bridge wasnt the only option pitched when thinking about how to stop the traffic jams. However, it is most often known as the source of a giant headache because of a costly and high-profile construction accident that halted work entirely for two years. repairs as well as a discussion of the safety of the bridge, which was of the ramp, now scheduled to open this year. Zilwaukee Bridge. On Tuesday, September 22, 1987 the final 117-ton piece With regard to the bridge itself, 154 bearings installed during the bridge's construction in the 1980s were replaced with new ones made of "a high-density plastic material" according to MDOT's Engineer of Bridge Field Services Matthew J. Chynoweth. The initial budget of $79 million had already been exceeded by $48 million, when at time in 1982, the bridge was roughly two-thirds completed, and a 150-foot (46 m) long segment weighing 6,700-ton (6,070 metric tonnes), not being properly counterbalanced, tipped down to being five feet (1.5 m) out of alignment, with the other end rising 3.5 feet (1.1 m). There will be about 27,000 miles of eighth-inch wire in the completed 1.5-mile-long bridge. Construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee Bridge this week. This high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River is said to be the perfect example on how not to build a bridge. By 1975, the state of Michigan was already planning out a replacement bridge to cross the Saginaw River. 13. In the early-1950s, the Michigan State Highway Department constructed a Around the time of opening, the Zilwaukee Bridge saw roughly 11.3 million vehicles cross per year, according to MDOT. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/US-010.html. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. The tilting also damaged the pier footing beneath it. designed machines made for that particular project. construction in the United States and Canada. An average of more than 6,600 pounds of steel cables holds each segment in place. the bridge opened, it also caused problems for traffic on the Saginaw River Bridge Report Aerial Imagery Additional The original completion date for the Zilwaukee Bridge was November 1983. The original Zilwaukee Mayor Gene Jolin said he hopes the state will keep two-way traffic on the bridge when it starts a two-year deck replacement and bearing project in 2012. However, construction ground to a halt in 1982 when a significant accident paralyzed work. Originally, the Zilwaukee Bridge was to be completed by November 1983. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. posted to the USENET newsgroup alt.great-lakes the On precast segmental bridges, the concrete segments must be delivered It was only 150 feet wide and several ships ended up clipping the bridge, causing damage and even more traffic issues. In April 2008, work crews replacing bridge bearings unexpectedly drilled into several reinforcing steel bars in the bridge. The of the unfinished ramps crossed a buried landfill contaminated with PCBs. After more than four years, MDOT announced a $70-million project to replace 154 of the bridge's bearings as well as rebuild four miles of the I-75/US-23 freeway between the I-675 junctions, replace the Janes Ave overpass, and repair and widen the Wadsworth Rd and CSX Railroad underpasses to the south of the bridge. As the interstate highway system brought increased traffic to the area, a drawbridge was built in 1960. When we were kids this thing was massive and scarrrrrryyyyy!! Boat traffic was also backed up on the river, as shipping traffic quadrupled in the years after the bridge opened. Each cable is stretched with hydraulic jacks, stressed to nearly 200 tons, Top top it off, shipping traffic actually quadrupled in the years after The original Zilwaukee Bridge as a four-lane draw bridge. The original bridge routed traffic through the small city of Saginaw. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer. Some believe this Michigan bridge marks the start of Up North. The bridge carries the I-75 / US 23 road. Or are you better off taking a different route? removed so that river traffic would not be impeded. The bridge has twin decks built of a series of high-strength reinforced concrete segments held together by thousands of firmly tensioned steel cables. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. The resulting fiasco was the worst in Michigan's transit history. polychorinated biphenyl will cost at least $100,000 and could delay completion The total launching girder apparatus weighs in France and Germany in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The tractor and trailer combined weigh 102 tons. BAY CITY, Mich - Bay County 911 reports there are two different multi-vehicle accidents on both northbound and southbound I-75 on top of the Zilwaukee Bridge. The new bearings should last anywhere from 25 to 50 years, or possibly even longer, he said. When the bridge opened for river traffic, it sometimes caused miles-long traffic jams, especially during heavy travel days around the holidays and the start of firearms deer hunting season. Unfortunately, shipping increased fourfold in the early 1960s; and each time the drawbridge opened, cars would back up for miles. 4: The Accident in The At the time, the project was the largest pre-cast concrete segmental bridge in the United States, and the largest project the MDOT had ever undertaken. Its also one of Michigans most storied. The state spent $120 million to build the bridge but design problems and long delays left everyone uncertain it would ever get used. two spans of the bridge simultaneously. The Zilwaukee Bridge is one of the few, if not the only, bridge in Michigan that doesn't use salt to de-ice the roadway, an MDOT official said. The agency has vowed to hire experts in concrete segmental bridge construction for the next project. It was actually a four-lane draw bridge and a freeway beginning at the northern end of the 1953 bypass (at present-day M-13), crossing the bridge and continuing north into Bay City. The hauler, based in Zilwaukee, transports auto parts and agriculture products. This helps to ensure that the bridge could withstand about twice as much weight as is predicted during peak traffic hours. It stands on its own steel legs back end and drives directly off. The ships captain suffered minor injuries. News never stops. At Zilwaukee, each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Tampa, Fla., opened in 1987. Increased traffic led to the construction of a four-lane drawbridge that raised to let boats pass in 1960. Crank up the tunes. It assures thatthe I say we go back to these days and watch the boats go by: 91.7 Ann Arbor/Detroit 104.1 Grand Rapids A December 1979 article in the Owosso Argus-Press noted in 1968, a City of Bay City official stated "the bridge even caused a 56-mile long traffic jam.". concerns and painting costs with steel bridges. Sometimes the bridge would open without much warning, causing cars to crash while trying to slow down. time it opened for river traffic. since the bridges construction in the 1980s, the agency has used Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. In order to provide you with the best online experience this website uses cookies. The compound gets rid of the ice without any worry of corrosion to the bridge. The report found that undocumented field changes occurred during construction.". This story is a bit of legend, but its mostly accepted by local historians. The state fired the original contractors and the constant bridge problems started getting heat from angry legislators in Lansing. Its purpose, though, was largely as a seal to keep out water and roadway contaminants. Were talking about, of course, the Zilwaukee Bridge. 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