Bypass Efficiency

When Central Bridge Company took on one of Northwest Arkansas’s largest and most complex infrastructure projects — the construction of a multi-bridge bypass around Springdale — the team knew that dependable equipment would be key to meeting the project’s ambitious goals.

The Springdale bypass project is part of a growing network of infrastructure improvements designed to ease congestion and improve connectivity around Northwest Arkansas. The work includes the construction of roads and bridges forming a loop around the city to provide a direct expressway connection to the regional airport and nearby communities.

Central Bridge was responsible for several of those bridges, which included lifting and placing steel girders weighing approximately 55,000 pounds per pair.

Each of the SANY cranes in Central Bridge’s fleet brought a unique set of capabilities to the Springdale bypass bridge job:

• SANY SCA1000A lattice boom crawler crane, with a 110-ton lifting capacity and a 212-foot maximum tip height features a self-assembly system that eliminates the need for an assist crane, and retractable crawlers that make it easy to transport and position.
• SANY SCA1350A lattice boom crawler crane, with a 150-ton lifting capacity and 250-foot maximum tip height offers extra reach and power while optional fixed and luffing jibs extend its versatility.
• SANY SCA900TB telescopic boom crawler crane, with a 90-ton lifting capacity and a 154-foot full power, five-section boom provides pick-and-carry versatility and a bi-fold jib for flexibility, along with self-retracting crawlers for variable site conditions.

  

   

Precision Positioning

“On the bypass project, we had three cranes working side by side at times,” said Gary Quinonez, president of Central Bridge. “Each bridge required precise tandem and transfer lifts. The SCA1000A and SCA900TB cranes would start the lift and move the bridge girder into position and then the SCA1000A would hand off to the SCA1350A for final placement.

“The picks and moves required power, precision and perfect coordination,” Quinonez continued. “And on a project of this scale, reliability is everything. We needed cranes that could handle heavy, precise lifts day after day. The SANY cranes performed exceptionally well and were highly dependable.”

Founded in 2019, Central Bridge is a relatively new company. Along with fielding a reliable fleet of cranes, the experience that Quinonez, a civil engineer, and his uncle Manuel bring have also played a large role in its rapid growth into a regional leader in bridge construction.

Better Investment

Quinonez is also quick to credit CraneCo Crane Sales of Tulsa, Oklahoma, the company’s SANY dealer. “As a start-up we were considering purchasing used machines that were five to seven years old,” Quinonez recalled. “Then, CraneCo brought SANY to us, and showed us that new cranes offered a better long-term investment. The cost and warranty made more sense, and the coverage was especially important because we wanted everything to go smoothly on our first big jobs.”

Joe Perez, dealer representative and veteran of more than four decades in crane sales and service, saw the opportunity to connect Central Bridge with a brand built for growth. “When Gary and Manuel Quinonez came to us, we knew they needed reliable equipment that would help them establish their reputation,” Perez said. “SANY had just entered the U.S. market in a big way, and we believed their cranes were the right fit, and SANY America was investing heavily in U.S. parts, service and support.”

In fact, CraneCo, the first SANY dealer in the U.S., delivered the very first SANY SCA1000A lattice boom crawler crane sold in the United States to Central Bridge — a milestone that cemented the company’s place as an early adopter of the brand. Today, SANY cranes have become the backbone of Central Bridge’s operations.

CraneCo’s role for Central Bridge goes beyond sales and includes on-site service, inspections, maintenance and 24/7 support. “When we need CraneCo, they’re there,” Quinonez said. “That support is critical to our success keeping projects on track.”

“Our goal is to make sure the customer’s jobsite keeps running efficiently,” Perez said. “Our technicians understand these machines inside and out, and that level of commitment matters, especially with large crawler cranes.”

Shared Success

For both Central Bridge and CraneCo, the success of the Springdale project reflects a shared belief in doing things right — with reliable equipment, strong service and long-term commitment.

For Quinonez, CraneCo has been invaluable to Central Bridge. “They gave us confidence that we were making the right investment to start,” he said. “As a result, we’ve built a fleet we can rely on, not just cranes but also SANY excavators and telehandlers. Everything we’ve purchased in the past five years has helped us grow and deliver quality work.”

As the Springdale bypass nears completion, Central Bridge is already looking toward future projects. The company continues to expand its capabilities, driven by the same practical philosophy that guided its early days — invest in quality and work with partners who stand behind their products.

“Our success is only as good as the support we get,” Quinonez said. “With SANY and CraneCo, that support has been outstanding.

“Our SANY cranes aren’t just machines, they’re part of our team,” Quinonez added. “They provided the lifting power, flexibility and reliability we needed to help keep Arkansas’s newest infrastructure project moving forward safely, efficiently and on schedule.”