OPERATIONS

The bridge on Shelby Road over Stony creek was a 3-span steel I-beam built in 1936. Since LSE began inspecting for the Oceana County Road Commission, the bridge had been progressively deteriorating. A load rating analysis indicated the structural capacity was reducing and would soon no longer support the heavy recreational traffic headed up to Silver Lake Sand Dunes. LSE worked with the road commission to seek funding through the Local Bridge Program. Once the structure was selected for funding, design and construction were scheduled.

LSE was selected to develop a design for a new structure. We proposed a single, 100-foot span consisting of prestressed concrete I-beams on pile supported curtainwall abutments. This design addressed a number of issues. Current AASHTO standards would be met, environmental requirements would be met, and drainage issues would be remedied, in addition to a new structure.

The road commission chose LSE to perform full construction services as well, including engineering, inspection, testing, and documentation. Field staff worked closely with the contractors to ensure the final product matched the design and met construction standards, and to address unforeseen site complications. One such complication was an excessive amount of groundwater at the bridge, unknown until the existing structure was removed. Once a solution was found to relieve groundwater and groundwater pressure, the contractor was able to complete the construction of the new road and bridge.

LSE continues to perform routine inspections of the Shelby Road bridge, including an initial post-construction inspection, to monitor deterioration of construction materials and keep the road commission informed of maintenance needs.

Client

Oceana County Road Commission

Value

$1,397,880.04

Location

Shelby Road over Stony Creek