HomeMy WebLinkAboutSN 3951 Narrative Pennsylvania over NS RR 2017
BIENNIAL BRIDGE INSPECTION SUMMARY
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE
OVER THE NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD
STRUCTURE NUMBER – 3951
CITY OF LANSING, MI
October 12, 2017
Tetra Tech
401 South Washington Square, Suite 100, Lansing, MI 48933
Tel 517.316.3930 Fax 517.484.8140 www.tetratech.com
The structure is a single span steel bridge constructed in 2005. The
bridge is in good condition.
DECK
The bridge deck has light map cracking throughout. There are delaminated (hollow‐sounding) areas
adjacent to patches in the inside lanes at the cast‐in‐place electrical boxes. There is a small spall (3”‐ 4”
diameter) in the southwest quadrant at the outside southbound lane. There is a crack and spall at the
south backwall between the southbound lanes. The deck underside has galvanized steel stay‐in‐place
forms and could not be observed for inspection. There are cracks and a large spall with exposed
reinforcement on the vertical face of the north backwall at the west fascia.
The bridge sidewalks have surface map cracking throughout. There are cracks and spalls at the
expansion joint in the southeast quadrant. There is a 2” PVC pipe in each sidewalk to drain each
“bumpout” area at the corner closest to midspan. There are leaves and dirt blocking the PVC pipes.
The bridge railings are concrete solid parapet with a decorative stone profile. Railings have map cracking
as well as vertical hairline cracks at about a 5‐foot spacing. There are scrapes and chipped areas the
entire inside face of both railings. At the west “bumpout”, there is a spall where a piece of wood was
cast into the railing.
SUPERSTRUCTURE
The superstructure consists of painted steel plate girders. There are widely scattered small rust spots on
the beams and cross‐frames. The elastomeric bearings have shear deformation both parallel and
perpendicular to the beams, particularly at the south abutment.
SUBSTRUCTURES
The abutments are concrete pile caps behind mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining walls utilizing
precast concrete wall panels. The MSE walls are in generally good condition. Two of the panels in the
southeast wingwall have small chips. There are trees growing at the top of the wall in the southeast and
northwest quadrants.
There are cast‐in‐place concrete retaining walls in the southeast and northwest quadrants with newer
slope walls constructed on top. The slopewall in northwest quadrant has some diagonal cracks.
Tetra Tech
401 South Washington Square, Suite 100, Lansing, MI 48933
Tel 517.316.3930 Fax 517.484.8140 www.tetratech.com
APPROACHES
The approach pavement has scattered spalls with asphalt patches. There are three spalls (2’x2’, 3’x3’,
and 3’x6’) in the inside southbound lane at the south approach. There are three spalls (2’x2’, 3’x3’ and
3’x3’) in the southbound lanes at the north approach. The asphalt patches have partially failed at the
spalls and there is exposed reinforcement in some of the spalls.
The approach sidewalks have settled at the bridge and there are weeds growing between the sidewalks
and curbs.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Repair spalls in approach pavement.
Repair surface spalls in bridge deck.
Repair crack and spall on top of the south backwall in southbound lanes.
Repair cracks and spalls at the northwest returnwall and the north backwall at the west end.
Periodically clean out expansion joint.
Remove trees from southeast and northwest corners of bridge MSE walls.
Clean debris (leaves and dirt) from the corners of the “bumpouts” to allow drainage.
Replace or place bituminous wedges at approach sidewalks.