Paducah & Louisville (P&L)
Railroad Bridge

Details
Location: Grand Rivers, Ky.
Services: Bridge design and construction oversight
Project Cost: $63 million
Client/Owner: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District
Anticipated Completion Date: 2010

Description
The new 3,100-foot-long Paducah and Louisville (P&L) Railway Bridge near Grand Rivers, Ky., carries rail traffic over the Tennessee River. The high-level bridge, which is adjacent to the Kentucky Lock and Dam, has 17 approach spans with a 500-foot main span over the navigation channel.

The bridge's approach spans vary between 152 feet and 155 feet. Each approach span consists of a concrete ballast pan supported by four 10-foot-deep composite steel-plate girders. The structural steel is grade 50 weathering steel throughout, and the piers for the approach spans consist of a single concrete column supported by either steel piles or concrete drilled shafts.

Services
As the bridge designer, Hanson supported the Nashville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' staff that oversees bridge construction. This included preparing a design memorandum, construction plans and specifications and providing construction phase services. Hanson also provided project management; structural, civil and geotechnical engineering for the river bridge and two other railroad structures; environmental permitting; and railroad engineering.