DESCRIPTION
I-69 Over Buck Creek
36′ Span x 8′ Rise Arch Box
The extension of I-69 from Indianapolis to Evansville is one of the largest projects undertaken by the Indiana Department of Transportation in recent history. In cooperation with other state highway departments, the planned interstate will connect the Canadian border in Michigan with the Mexican border in Texas.
The crossing at Buck Creek was originally designed as a continuous composite beam bridge with two spans at 135’ each. Gohmann Construction Inc. and BF&S teamed up on a successful cost-reduction initiative to convert the crossing to a 36’ span precast three-sided arch. In addition to lower initial cost, INDOT’s new ECO-SPAN® over-filled arch has no bridge deck to maintain. Drivers on the new road will not experience the “bump on and off” at the approach slabs that is common with new bridge construction.
The prefabricated arch system components were installed in two and a half days, including 43 arch-box segments, 4 headwall pieces, and 6 wingwall pieces.