May 15, 2008

Steel Wins in Alternative Design Bid for Replacing
US-183 over Saline River in Kansas

HAYS, KS — The steel plate girder design won over the pre-cast, pre-stressed, post-tensioned spliced concrete girder in bids to replace US-183 over the Saline River in Kansas. The winning bid by Venture Corporation was $15.6 million for the entire project. The bridge subcontractor, Bridges, Inc., bid $3.46 million for the bridge. No bids were received for the concrete girder option.

The 200 m (656 ft) welded plate girders will have two interior spans of 57 m (187 ft) and end spans of 42.7 m (140 ft). The girders will be constructed using AASHTO M270M Gr. 345W T3 material. The girders' depth will range from 1960 mm (6 ft 4 inches) at mid-span to 1990 mm (6 ft 6 inches) over the piers. Capital Contractors Inc., Steel Division, of Lincoln, Nebraska, will fabricate the steel.

The piers consist of three 1210 mm (4 ft) columns founded on 1680 mm (5 ft 6 inch) diameter drilled shafts.

Six girder lines will carry two traffic lanes on the 13.4 m (44 ft) roadway.

The tentative start date for the project is June 2008 with an anticipated completion date of November 2009.