Replacement Bridge Preserves Historical Context

This article describes replacing the historic Royal Park Bridge that links Palm Beach, Florida, to the mainland and was originally constructed in 1928. The author examines the problems with the original bridge which was built in 1928, the decision to replace it, as well as the challenges—environmental, social and technical—in designing and building its replacement. The local landmarks commission insisted the new bridge retain the appearance of the existing barrel arches, which is extremely costly. The solution was the use of a segmental concrete box girder that visually resembles the earth-filled concrete arches of the original bridge. Precast panels were designed to function as the exterior forms for the pier concrete. The project was fast-tracked and completed 26 months ahead of schedule.