BRIDGE DECK REPLACEMENT: CHANGE FROM CAST-IN-PLACE TO PRECAST

The Thousand Island Bridge is a series of bridges which carries route I-81 across the St. Lawrence Seaway; it was opened to traffic in 1938. An inspection indicated that the forty year old bridge required major repairs. The project was anticipated to begin in 1984 to be completed in 1987. The paper discusses the deck replacement project that required precasting of concrete filled deck panels, closing one lane of traffic at night to install new panels, then opening both lanes of the bridge to traffic the next morning. The process proved economical and showed that through cooperation between the design consultant and the contractor, the project could be completed in 1986.