DelDOT awards IR bridge demolition contract

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) has awarded the roadway approach and demolition contract for the Indian River Inlet bridge to Dover-based contractor George & Lynch Inc. The $11.6 million contract will cover construction of roadway approaches to the new bridge and demolition of the existing bridge.

Work will occur over the next two years in three phases and will force traffic restrictions on the old and new bridges until work is complete.

Phase 1 work will occur between March and May 2011, with a new traffic pattern in place by Memorial Day weekend. To accommodate work taking place on the median and crossovers, the new pattern will place Route 1 southbound and northbound traffic – one lane in each direction – on the existing northbound lane. The southbound lanes will be used exclusively for pedestrians and bicyclists during construction.

Phase 2 will begin by Memorial Day and continue into December. Under this phase, construction of the north and south bridge approaches will take place. The approaches will be built using lightweight concrete fill that weighs less than traditional soil embankment material. The amount of fill needed for the embankments has been reduced because the design of the new bridge incorporated traditional bridge approach spans to take the place of soil embankments, said Tina Shockley, DelDOT spokeswoman.

Earthen approaches for a previous bridge design were removed after settlement and compaction problems. DelDOT has filed a $19.6 million lawsuit against the designers of the approaches.

The new approaches, when complete, will provide a connection from the existing roadway to the new bridge, which is scheduled to be open by the end of December.

Phase 3 is expected to begin in early 2012 and be completed by mid-2013. Under this phase, final roadwork will be completed and the existing bridge will be demolished.

The existing bridge will not be imploded or exploded, but will be dismantled using heavy equipment, Shockley said. Concrete sections will be taken to a reef site in the ocean and steel sections will be salvaged and recycled.

For the first six months of 2012, the traffic pattern will be one lane in each direction on the new bridge as George & Lynch completes permanent access roadways to the park under the bridge, restores other roadway connections and turn lanes.

Once work is completed, a separate contract will allow for improvements to Delaware Seashore State Park, which will improve the area around the new bridge, provide new parking lots, sidewalks, a bathhouse and new and improved campgrounds.