Project description

Hanson is currently working to relocate the Paducah and Louisville Railway bridge over the Tennessee River.  The new 3,100-foot bridge will be located about 1,500 feet downstream from the existing bridge.  

The bridge relocation allows for construction of a new longer lock at the dam (the site of the existing bridge).  The new lock and bridge will make river navigation easier for barges in the future.

Structural services

Bridge features:

• 17 approach spans:  each a concrete ballast pan supported by four 10-foot-deep composite steel girders;
• Grade 50 weathering steel throughout structure; and
• 500-foot span over navigation channel:  simple span Warren truss with open timber deck supported by two-column concrete piers.

The bridge's new railroad alignment will cross seven existing roadways.  Work at these crossings will involve building grade separations, improving an at-grade crossing, relocating two existing roadways and maintaining rail traffic throughout construction.  Our services on this project also include the following:

• preparation of feature design memorandum;

• construction plans and specifications;

• construction phase relocation services;

• project management; and

• railroad engineering.

Environmental services

Because the project will have an impact on the surrounding environment, we are preparing a wetlands mitigation plan to compensate for about 14 acres of wetlands affected by the proposed roadway.  The plan involves converting 25 acres of cropland to wetlands.

Geotechnical engineering

Hanson is also providing complete geotechnical engineering services for the bridge structure.  Below are some of these services:

• selection of boring locations and testing requirements; 
• field observation of the borings; 
• determination of design parameters; and 
• preparation of geotechnical report.

In some areas the bedrock contains cavities or voids formed where ground water has dissolved the bedrock.  We are helping to identify the location of the cavities, assess their impact on construction, and develop foundation designs appropriate for the bedrock conditions encountered.  

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