Northbound 14th Street Bridge Rehabilitation

The Northbound 14th Street Bridge, which carries Interstate 395 over the Potomac River, is a vital transportation link between Arlington, Virginia and the nation’s capital. During a routine bridge inspection by another consultant after an aircraft accident, severe deterioration in the metalwork of the movable span was observed. Modjeski and Masters was contacted immediately to provide bridge emergency response services.

 

Within 24 hours our engineers were at the bridge to determine more precisely the condition of the metalwork. As a result of our observations, temporary supports were constructed immediately. At the same time, we developed and delivered repair details for implementation. First, we sent sketches to the District and the on-call contractor to give them an idea of the magnitude of the work, allowing the contractor to identify needed equipment and mobilize his forces. As more detailed drawings were developed, we sent them for implementation. Due to the urgency of the required repairs, we circumvented the usual procedures of developing contract documents. We developed the needed repairs so they could be constructed easily in a confined space.