How to Build a 700-ft, $20 Million Concrete Bridge in One Year

ABSTRACT The Ohio Department of Transportation had to replace the Perry Street bridge over the Maumee River. Designed in 1928 and built in 1930, the Perry Street sand filled concrete barrel arch bridge had served the citizens of Napoleon, Ohio well. Being the only local crossing of the Maumee River, the bridge carried school children, workers, police and fire emergency personnel and medical emergencies from South Napoleon to North Napoleon and back home again. Four parameters defined the design and construction of the replacement structure. These parameters were defined by the public meetings with the citizens of Napoleon, the environmental documents and the time commitment to the Department. The four parameters were: (1) The new bridge had to look exactly like the old bridge. It had to be the same shape and have the same number of spans. (2) Construction could not disturb the bottom of the river from a period beginning on April 15 to June 15 because of fish spawning. (3) The new bridge had to be constructed in the same location the existing bridge occupied. (4) The old bridge had to be demolished and replaced with the new bridge in a single year. The utilization of precast prestressed concrete enabled the replacement in one year.