FDOT pushes in ACROW bridge for diverging diamond project

Despite a calculation error, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Prince Contracting successfully installed the ACROW temporary bridge Tuesday night.

Crews had estimated the bridge would drop down by about 2 inches between the launch point on the south end of the overpass and the midpoint; however, by the time the bridge was pushed to the midpoint, it had dropped about 6 inches and was too low to be set on top of the rolling units which would ease the bridge the rest of the way across. Crews had to use a hydraulic lift to push the bridge up enough to set on top of the rollers. 

The installation shut down the section of University Parkway which runs beneath I-75 overnight as crews worked above. The bridge began being pushed across the overpass at around midnight; it took until about 5:30 a.m. to be completed. A D8 Dozer was used to push the bridge across in increments. 

The ACROW is a temporary bridge that will serve as a three-lane overpass during the construction of the new north- and south-bound bridges over University during the diverging diamond project, according to a fact sheet from FDOT. Weighing about 480 tons, the bridge spans 42 feet wide and 280 feet long. It's currently the widest ACROW bridge in the U.S. It cost $1.8 million and took approximately four weeks to assemble.

Now that the bridge is installed, asphalt will be laid on top. In 30 to 45 days, southbound lanes will be switched onto the bridge so the current southbound bridge can be demolished and a new one constructed as part of the diverging diamond. It will take an estimated 10 to 12 months to construct the new one. Then, northbound lanes will be switched to the ACROW to commence demolition and construction of the new northbound bridge. The project is expected to be complete in summer 2017.