115113 - Lyles Construction - NEW Newsletter - PROOF - Flipbook - Page 16
AMERICAN
PAVING CO.
The existing bridge remained in place
while the new bridge and retaining walls
were to be constructed to the south.
DARRAH ROAD BRIDGE OVER W. FORK CHOWCHILLA RIVER
MARIPOSA COUNTY, CA
The Darrah Road Bridge Project bid on June 09, 2020 and again
on August 25, 2020. Fortunately for American Paving Co. (APC),
we were the low bidder on both occasions, with the second bid
coming in at $5,162,388. The second time around the County of
Mariposa decided to award the project but had to wait for Caltrans
approval of additional funding. The time between bids and the need
for approval of additional funding delayed the project award until
December 2020.
the new bridge, rock excavation, surface water running in the river
and the resulting environmental restraints, as well as a constrained
project work area. Additionally, because the bridge design included
spread footings for both the bridge and retaining walls, we installed
30 feet high shoring at the abutments tapering down to 5 feet or
8 feet 32 feet away. Also, 20 feet or 40 feet H-piles were installed
from anywhere between 5 feet to 15 feet below the bottom of the
proposed excavation. Walers were attached to the H-piles and tiebacks were installed through the east side roadway embankment.
During the excavation process, 4x timber lagging was installed
between the H-piles to support the earth.
Seasonal water running in the river would delay the start until the
summer of 2021. At the request of the County, our team mobilized
early to complete the clearing and grubbing work and install
deterrent measures to discourage swallow nesting. The work began
when the river dried up in July. The project involves the replacement
of the existing Darrah Road Bridge which was approximately 22
inch wide, calling for a new single-span bridge with retaining walls,
which would be built in phases.
APC Project Team
Project Manager: Jimmy Brager
Project Estimators: Ross Jenkins and Stephen Poindexter
Foremen: Val Huerta (General) and Scott McKinley (Structural)
Other Key Personnel: Brandon Best, Josh Mills, William Jones,
Jeremy Adams, Ronald Ocon, Phillip McDaniel, Juan Duran, Ryan
Carey, Jonathan Coilton and Jonathan Killion
Under the first phase, traffic would be reduced to a single lane and
controlled by a portable traffic signal system. Shoring was to be
installed at roughly the centerline of the new bridge. The existing
bridge would remain in place with the exception of the partial removal
of a wingwall while half the new bridge and retaining walls 1 and 2
would be constructed to the south. Upon completion of the south
half of the bridge, the eastbound traffic lane would be constructed
with traffic redirected to the new improvements. Following the
traffic switch, Phase 2 bridge construction commenced, including
retaining walls 3 and 4. After completion of the Phase 2 structure
and a waiting period, a closure pour was constructed between the
two newly constructed bridge decks. Road approaches and rip rap
improvements were also completed in the river bottom while the
river remained dry.
The Darrah Road Bridge will be replaced with
a new single-span bridge with retaining walls.
There have been numerous challenges to this project including
spring fed ground water, power lines running above a portion of
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