Emergency I-495 Bridge Closure in Deleware

Oops, DELDOT strikes again!

From online newsclips it looks like the columns in question are in a railroad and industrial area on the west bank of the river, around Christiana Ave. I see mention of possible ground shifting under the pillars, and large piles of dirt near the bridge.

News this morning states that the bridge will be closed for weeks or longer. They allegedly have identified the contractor that dumped the dirt, and believe the weight of the massive pile may have contributed to the problem. What a mess this will make of travel in the entire region, as traffic is being shifted to I95. Best to take another route if you can.

bucky wrote:
News this morning states that the bridge will be closed for weeks or longer. They allegedly have identified the contractor that dumped the dirt, and believe the weight of the massive pile may have contributed to the problem. What a mess this will make of travel in the entire region, as traffic is being shifted to I95. Best to take another route if you can.

According to DELDOT the bridge piers rest on a massive foundation that in turn rests on steel pilings that are driven down INTO the bedrock. They should be able to pile LEAD 2 stories high under the bridge and not have it affect the foundations. They don't rest on dirt, they should rest on bedrock.

Either a bad design or it wasn't built according to the plan. And DELDOT engineers and inspectors where where??? Obviously not on site or looking where they were supposed to before or during construction... Looks like another Indian River Inlet fiasco.

The descriptions that I saw yesterday were of steel pilings driven into flood plain sediments, with a concrete cap on top (not massive foundation), and the columns on top of that. I did not see mention of the pilings reaching to bedrock. That is possible. But regardless, soil loading could displace or damage pilings.

Green Bay WI had a similar bridge closure last September (a column sunk a couple of feet). That and neighboring columns were given support collors, and the bridge reopened in January.

-------------------

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2014/06/04/contractor-says-dirt-piles-placed-bridge/9971917/
This News Journal article mentions the pilings being anchored in bedrock. But also talks about the possibility of them shifting.

Projected reopening is September

http://www.deldot.gov/home/newsroom/release.shtml?id=5173

Probably "friction piles" rather than "refusal piles". A standard Soils Engineering solution for deep bedrock.

This is almost visible from where I live (a tall ladder might do it... ) 495 goes along the Port of Wilmington, and then hugs the Delaware River for about a dozen miles before it joins back up with I-95 just south of the DE/PA line near Claymont.

If you're headed NORTH on I-95, you either have to stay on I-95 through Wilmington, which may get congested depending on time of day, but it's only about four miles, or come over the Del Memorial Bridge(no charge) and take I-295 north. Depending on your ultimate destination, you might be taking the Commodore Barry Bridge ($5) to get back in to PA.

Coming SOUTH on I-95, you just have to stay on I-95 rather than get onto I-495. There are only a few I-95 exits between Wilmington and Chester, PA so pretty much the whole of 495 is closed off. The I-295 alternate means taking the Commodore Barry bridge into NJ (no charge) and then 295 south, and then paying to cross the Del Mem to get back into Delaware.

In short, you will be charged to get OUT of New Jersey if you come this way... :)