.jpg)
Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) - While the replacement of the 12th Street bridge has been postponed until 2016, the capital dollars budgeted for that project now can be invested in other street construction projects. Several additional projects to keep our roads smooth and increase traffic capacity have been added to this year’s capital program.
- Intersection improvements at 22nd Street and Minnesota Avenue
- Intersection improvements at 11th Street and Second Avenue downtown
- Widening and reconstruction of Solberg Avenue from 49th Street to 57th Street
Two major factors resulted in a lack of bids on the 12th Street bridge project: the aggressive schedule and contractor availability. The 12th Street bridge carries 25,000 vehicles a day, and the aggressive replacement schedule limited the number of contractors able to complete the work on time. Other large bridge projects under construction this summer in the region further reduced contractor availability. In order to make the project more attractive to bidders next year, Phase 1 of the project will be bid separately and completed this year. That work will include relocating utilities, constructing two large retaining walls, installing the access roads on each side of the railroad, and installing the storm sewer. The actual replacement of the bridge structure will be done in 2016.
“The reality is that only a handful of contractors in our region specialize in building bridges, and their workloads already were full with other projects,” says Chad Huwe, City Engineer. “By completing the first phase this year and rebidding the rest of the project in the fall, we can make sure to have a contractor on board for the next construction season.”
The City of Sioux Falls has 49 structures in the National Bridge Inspection Program. Each bridge is inspected at least every two years and more frequently if the bridge is in poor condition. During the inspection, each structure is assigned a sufficiency rating from 0 to 100. The sufficiency rating is based on structural adequacy, safety, serviceability, functionality, and essentiality for public use. If the load-carrying capacity of the 12th Street bridge is reduced during the 2015 inspection, load limits may need to be posted to maintain safe travel over the bridge until it can be replaced.