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Essex Crane Rentals provided cranes for a project in which the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America is being built across the Mississippi River north of Baton Rouge, La. |
July 25, 2007 • The mighty Mississippi will be enhanced in a big way over the next three years as the longest span anywhere along the river takes shape north of Baton Rouge, La. When completed, the $348 million John James Audubon Bridge, which is replacing an existing ferry between New Roads, and St. Francisville, La., will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America.
The structure will span nearly 3,000 feet across the Mississippi River and will feature a 1,583-foot main span between twin 500-foot landmark towers built to support the new bridge. The main span will have 641-foot-long bridges on either side. The four-lane bridge and its approach roads will stretch for 2.5 miles, according to information from the Louisiana State Department of Transportation and Development.
Awarded to joint venture Audubon Bridge Constructors, the design-build project is the state's first. Flatiron Constructors, Granite Construction and Parsons Transportation Group are venture partners. Last year, Crane Hot Line magazine reported on Flatiron's completion of two replacement bridges over Escambia Bay near Pensacola, Fla.
And, as in the Interstate 10 bridge project in Florida, Flatiron has turned to Essex Crane, of Buffalo Grove, Ill., to provide most of the myriad cranes and equipment being used on this project. In all, 12 machines are at work on the jobsite this summer, including four Manitowoc 888s. In addition to the 230-ton lattice-boom crawlers, an MCG 4100 ringer and a 4100 S-2, a 4000 W, a 999 and a 2250 can be seen. Also on the job are two 275-ton Terex HC-275s and an 80-ton Terex RT-780.
The cranes are being used for land and river foundation work; to drive piles in position at various spots along the bridge span; and to transport and position steel casings for shafts, according to Dante Lius, resident engineer, deputy project manager. “In the future, they will be used also for installation of substructure form work and reinforcement,” he said. Two tower cranes • 530 feet at the hook • will be installed as well for the construction of the towers which will support the cable-stayed bridge. “They will take care of all operations for the construction of the two towers,” Lius said.
