Supports for the New Lehigh River and Canal Bridges Under Construction on the Northern Bank

Drilling for pier foundations continues on the northern bank of the Lehigh River, where crews are in the early stages of construction on the first of 19 support columns that will be built in 2010 for the new twin bridges over the river and canal.

Work will continue as weather conditions permit through the remaining weeks of winter. As was done on the banks and in the streambed of the Pohopoco Creek in 2009 – the first full year of work on the $102 million initiative to construct four new replacement spans to carry the northbound and southbound Turnpike over the adjacent Carbon County waterways – workers are drilling 9.5-foot diameter shafts deep into the bedrock. The drilled shafts will be filled with concrete to form the foundations for poured-in-place reinforced concrete pier stems that will rise up to 100 feet above the river.

Temporary rock causeways are in place in the river to allow crews to access the pier shafts for the in-stream supports. Foundation drilling in the river is expected to get underway this spring.

Northern abutments for the Lehigh River and Canal bridges that are under construction adjacent to the westbound lanes of Route 248 also are nearing completion.

On the opposite side of the Lehigh, excavation of the rock slope continues. Workers are laying-back that slope to provide room for the bridges’ southern abutments and for realignment of the Turnpike at the approaches to the new spans. Excavation activities, along with periodic mid-day stoppages on the Turnpike, will continue through 2010.

Pohopoco Creek Bridges
Eight of the twelve support columns for the new bridges over the Pohopoco Creek are in place. The remaining four remain in various stages of construction. Pre-stressed concrete beams and reinforced concrete decks will then be constructed atop the piers in work that is scheduled to begin this summer.

In addition to the 12 piers, four north and south abutments (the end walls that connect the structures to the main line roadway) are nearing completion for the Pohopoco bridges.

At the northern end of the Turnpike work zone, progress is being made on a long retaining wall that will support the roadway where it shifts to the west to meet the new alignment approaching the new Pohopoco Creek Bridges.

General Traffic Impacts

• Periodic daytime and nighttime lane closures and brief daytime stoppages may occur on the Turnpike.
• Watch for slow moving construction vehicles entering and exiting the Turnpike.
• A long-term shoulder closure is in place on Route 248 westbound from Parryville to the existing overhead Turnpike bridge.
   

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