Steel forms will support part of the Memorial Causeway Bridge that drooped. Engineers will study it.
By MEGAN SCOTT
Published February 12, 2004
CLEARWATER - Like archaeologists digging their way into the pyramids, engineers will spend the next week exploring problems with the new Memorial Causeway Bridge to determine what caused a section of the road to drop.
To prepare for the excavation, Tampa bridge builder PCL Constructors Inc. began installing a steel tower Wednesday to stabilize the 104-foot section so they can remove the forms that support the structure and go into the interior section of the bridge to examine the walls and flooring.
"When you remove those forms, there can be some vibrations," city public services director Gary Johnson said. "That's why they want to put up this additional measure of safety. They don't want the bridge to move at all."
The process will delay an answer on the cause of the sinking for at least another week. Construction of the beam should be completed by early next week, but it could take a few days for the contractors to issue their report, Johnson said.
Engineers discovered a week ago that a section of the bridge had dropped about 7 inches. They roped it off and began studying the problem.
City staffers are unsure how this latest bit of news will affect the planned opening next month. Engineers have determined the problem is isolated to that span. Work is continuing on the other parts of the bridge.
"We don't know what the outcome is going to be on how they're going to stabilize it, or repair it for the future," city spokeswoman Joelle Castelli said. The incident marked the second time in 14 months that a construction accident has threatened to disrupt the $70-million bridge, which will provide a direct route from Clearwater to Clearwater Beach.
In December 2002, an 80-foot section of the bridge sank 1.5 feet and twisted, forcing construction crews to demolish that portion and rebuild it.
City officials said Wednesday that the two incidents are not related. As with the first problem, additional costs will be absorbed by PCL.
The damage last week was limited to a section on the bridge's south span and did not extend to the north span, which runs parallel. No one was injured.
None of the pillars dropped, meaning the problem involves the roadway itself. The bridge has not fallen any further since the damage was discovered.
Johnson said the engineers hope the exploration helps with their final assessment.
