Spelling Bridge Reconstruction Project
Holmes County, Ohio
Small project
Region: Hell Half west
Sent by: Kokosing Construction Co.
Owner: Holmes County, Ohio (Local Public Agency Agreement with Ohio Transportation Department)
Lead design company: Palmer Engineering
General contractor: Kokosing Construction Co.
Civil Engineer: OHM CONSULTING
Structural Engineer: Smolen Engineering
The reconstruction of the covered bridge at the time of the 1940’s, one of the largest in America 300 feet long and 24 feet wide, was a reduced price of $ 9.5 million, but it had a great impact. The project adds four pieces, each of about 168,000 LB, for a new structural support that now extends in at least 125 years the life of a venerated historical icon and very visited to the picturesque corridor of the Mohican River in Ohio.
The project team faced several obstacles, including “the use of complex materials, the construction of offline bridges and overcoming multiple perforations and geotechnical challenges,” says the presentation. A forced redesign of a segment was included, which requires a rapid change to maintain the critical route. The complex logistics in the manufacture and treatment of Glulam members of the structure in different states also ordered the “meticulous coordination”, says the team. The use of Cofferdams allowed the team to manage the turbulent conditions of the river, which had caused floods of the excavation site during construction.
The superstructure focus included the creation of the faults, each more than 150 feet long and almost 20 feet high, in a “table” tailored to the location of the final structure. This allowed the precise assembly and the elevators of simultaneous two transits. According to the presentation, with the conditions of the difficult place and the traffic weight, the contractor designed a work platform that would support 336,000 LB. “Truss’s assembly was a culmination of almost three months of planning,” says the presentation. The project, which was the largest infrastructure project in Holmes County history, Ohio, opened to the public five days earlier. The team proves that “effective collaboration, teamwork and a commitment to security”.
