(TAMPA, Fla. - September 28, 2009) - The Belleair Beach Causeway Bridge Replacement Project has been named one of North America's Top 10 bridge projects in 2009 by Roads and Bridges magazine. Pinellas County government engaged HDR for bridge design, E.C. Driver & Associates Inc. for construction engineering and inspection, and Johnson Bros. Inc. and Misener Marine Construction Inc. in a joint venture for construction.
The $72.3 million project, which involved replacing a nearly 60-year-old bridge and improving roadway approaches, was cited for its complex and unique process including an "incremental launching system" that involved casting and launching 660 feet of the concrete superstructure in 37.5 foot increments. It was only the second time this procedure had been used in the United States for this type of construction. This launching method was recommended by Johnson Bros. for the east and west ends of the main bridge.
Slated for completion by the end of the year, the Belleair Beach Causeway Bridge is a critical corridor for traffic and a primary evacuation route for area residents of the surrounding barrier islands. The project represents Pinellas County’s largest infrastructure investment to date. Construction began in March 2007 and has continued on time and on budget.
More information is available at the Belleair Beach Causeway Bridge Web site www.belleaircausewaybridge.com.
HDR is an employee-owned architectural, engineering and consulting firm with more than 8,000 professionals in more than 185 locations worldwide. All of them are committed to helping clients manage complex projects and make sound decisions. HDR is No. 13 overall in the Engineering News-Record Top 500 Design Firms rankings for 2009.