Originally Published on March 26, 2020
Source: Building Indiana
Cline Avenue Bridge, LLC, owned and operated by United Bridge Partners, announced the Cline Avenue Bridge was named 2020 Project of the Year by the Indiana Ready Mixed Concrete Association. Each year, the Association bestows multiple Outstanding Concrete Project awards. To win Project of the Year, candidates must go above and beyond by demonstrating remarkable innovation, uniqueness, complexity, and magnitude.
The Cline Avenue Bridge will be a 1.2-mile-long new segmental concrete bridge connecting an existing, fully rehabilitated, half-mile steel viaduct at the east end with the existing SR 912 roadway abutment on the west end. The new structure will consist of 29 cast-in-place concrete columns that support 685 post-tensioned concrete single cell box girders segments which form the bridge’s driving deck. Segment precasting was performed onsite in an indoor facility that allowed for optimum quality control and for casting to continue throughout the year. The custom concrete mix was formulated specifically for the needs of this project and provided locally by Smith Ready Mix in East Chicago, Ind.
“Our judges were impressed by the innovative technology and practices used with the Cline Avenue Bridge,” said Chad Montgomery, Promotions Manager at the Indiana Ready Mixed Concrete Association. “From the custom, rapid-cure concrete mix used to the techniques used to pour and lift finished pieces into place, to the sheer volume of concrete used, this project distinguished itself from the other entries to earn the ‘Project of the Year’ distinction.”
Innovation is at the forefront of the entire Cline Avenue Bridge project, which uses progressive technology, engineering and construction practices. Specifically, materials and labor are locally sourced, the low-maintenance concrete has an expected lifespan of over 100-years, dramatic accent lighting will be used, and its design incorporates elegant curves and graceful spans. The Project of the Year award is further validation that the Cline Avenue Bridge is a distinctive landmark that Northwest Indiana and everyone involved in its production can take pride in.
When the bridge opens to the public later this year, it will serve as the Gateway of Lake County and help reduce congestion and emissions, spur economic growth, and provide local first responders with a more efficient route while making Lake County, Ind. more accessible to all. Project and progress updates can be found on the company’s social media sites, which are linked through their website at clineave.com.