Update from email includes the comedy you expect:

Bridge Insiders:

Kingfish is bubbling over with all kinds of news, including the latest on the sculpture for the bridge that was just announced (picture included) and the latest inside scoop on falsework: “ . . . falsework is being constructed as a mirror image of the temporary steel falsework that the yellow gantry is now supported on and located on the north side of the bridge. Once this falsework is complete, plans will be made to place two steel girders across Shore Drive (and the new bridge) to connect both sets of falsework.”

If you’re a “falsework” junkie, you’re about to fall in love . . . .
As always, there are a lot of good things going with the project now, and you get the first peek. We appreciate your questions and e-mails, so please don’t hesitate to contact us.
As a reminder, we are regularly updating information on our WEB page at: http://www.vbgov.com/lesner-bridge. You can also follow us on Twitter at: @lesnerbridge.

If you know of someone who would like to be added to our update list, please have them get in touch with me at this e-mail address and I will be glad to add them. Please feel free to pass this along to others.

As I said, feel free to let Chris or me know if you have any questions or need more information.

Thanks again for all of your interest and patience throughout this project. So . . . stay drive, look out for each other, and put the phone down while you’re driving.

Drew Lankford
Media and Communications
Department of Public Works
City of Virginia Beach

dlankfor@vbgov.com
(O) 757.385.8062
(C) 757.409.4353

Folks:

Foundation work for the new eastbound Lesner Bridge is progressing as scheduled and the contractor is now installing the drilled shaft foundations in Pier #3, the first water pier for the eastbound bridge.

But before we get into the details of the bridge construction, I want to point out one feature of the eastbound bridge that is not present in the westbound bridge – the Scenic Overlook. This overlook will be located on the southwest side of the bridge right across from the Lynnhaven Boat Ramps.

Scenic Overlook Area Located on the Southwest side of the New Eastbound Lesner Bridge

The plans show that a cast-in-place concrete planter was to be built within this Scenic Overlook; however, in lieu of this planter the Public Art Virginia Beach Foundation has worked with renowned artist, Donald Lipski, and private donors to provide a unique one-of-a-kind signature sculpture known at The Canoes. This work was presented last Thursday by Mr. Lipski at the Bayfront Advisory Commission meeting. Additional information can be found on the City of Virginia Beach website in the News Center.

Proposed Sculpture THE CANOES by Donald Lipski

Back to bridge construction!

As mentioned earlier, foundation work for the new eastbound bridge is progressing well. Only one more concrete pour remains for the completion of bridge Abutment A (west side of Lynnhaven Inlet), all of the drilled shafts have been installed for bridge piers 1 and 2 and two of the five drilled shafts have already been completed for pier 3.

Multiple activities are occurring concurrently. As the drilled shafts are being installed, McLean is continuing to install temporary trestle towards the pier 4 location. Footing preparations for pier 1 are ongoing and the construction of the pipe pile falsework between Abutment A and pier 1 is well underway. This falsework is being constructed as a mirror image of the temporary steel falsework that the yellow gantry is now supported on and located on the north side of the bridge. Once this falsework is complete, plans will be made to place two steel girders across Shore Drive (and the new bridge) to connect both sets of falsework. The gantry will then be winched across Shore Drive from north to south and put into position to begin erecting the superstructure of the new eastbound bridge. Stay tuned as more details of this move become available.

Demolition of the old bridges also continues. The deep main span footings (pier 14 and 15 of the old bridges) are currently being cut and removed from the Lynnhaven Inlet. Most of the accessible piles located west of Federal Channel have been removed. The remaining superstructure of the old bridges located east of the Federal Channel has already been sawcut and is ready for demolition after the gantry is moved.

AMI, Inc. in Portsmouth, continues to build the superstructure of the new Lesner Bridge. A total of 123 of the 168 segments have been cast for the new eastbound bridge. It is expected that all bridge segments for the eastbound bridge will be cast by August 2017.

Over the next two weeks, the bridge contractor will:

· Continue bridge demolition;

· Install the remaining drilled shaft foundations at Pier #3;

· Install the concrete seal slab at Pier #4;

· Place the leveling pad for the new MSE wall along the south side of Shore Drive between East Stratford Street and the new bridge;

· Continue filling and grading operations at the new bridge abutments;

· Install the new traffic signal pole and foundation on the southeast corner of Shore Drive and East Stratford Street;

· Continue installation of the steel falsework between Abutment A and Pier #1 to support the segment assembly gantry crane

· Grade and place the reinforcing steel for the footing at Pier #1

That’s it for now. Please drive safely!

Christopher J. Wojtowicz, PE
Project Manager
City of Virginia Beach
Department of Public Works
Engineering Division
2405 Courthouse Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23456-9031
Office: (757) 385-5785
Fax: (757) 385-5668
Email: cwojtowi@vbgov.com