Project Spotlight: Precast concrete enables rapid replacement of Minneapolis bridge

Abstract

The new St. Anthony Falls Bridge opened to traffic on September 18, 2008, just 339 days after notice to proceed. The 10-lane interstate bridge is a major commuter route in Minneapolis, Minn., and provides the main trucking link through the state. The new 1223-ft-long (372.8 m) bridge features high-strength, high-performance concrete for the post-tensioned box girder superstructure with a precast concrete main span of 504 ft (154 m). Separate parallel structures carry northbound and southbound traf- fic, each comprising two box girders joined together to provide a 90 ft 4 in.–wide (28 m) deck. The team of Flatiron-Manson Joint Venture, with FIGG as the design engineer, was selected by Mn/DOT in a best-value process.