Louder drilling to occur as I-35W bridge foundation work nears completion

Workers will begin drilling 69 foundation shafts for Abutment 5 and for bridges spanning Second Street on the north side of the project site next week.

There will be more noise during this work because it is on higher ground and crews will use three large air compressors to power the drills. Drilling is scheduled to occur from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, beginning Wednesday, Jan. 9, and continuing for three to four weeks.

As of this week, 36 of 40 shafts for Piers 2, 3 and 4 have been drilled and 35 shafts have been filled with concrete. All of the large drilled shafts at these locations are expected to be done by Jan. 11.

Other work that will take place next week includes:

  • Crews are building the forms for the footings at Pier 3 and will be pouring the concrete for the footings.
  • Crews will start excavating for the footings at Pier 2 and Pier 4 next week. At Pier 2, this involves removing up to 2,000 cubic yards of material to make way for the footing forms. The Pier 4 location requires no excavation and crews are building forms now.
  • Truckloads of material have been delivered to the site in preparation for the construction of the falsework—temporary scaffolding—that will support the forms for the spans of the bridge that will be cast in place.

Those spans run from Abutment 1 to Pier 2 on the south side and Abutment 5 to Pier 3 on the north side. Construction of the falsework will begin later this month and continue until April.

  • Workers will continue building the casting beds and forms for the precast concrete segments of the main bridge span in the casting yard, located along the unused stretch of I-35W just north of Washington Avenue.
  • Lights may be noticeable from 6 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. as drilling continues around the clock at Pier 2 on the south side of the construction site and as crews start work on the footings at Pier 3 on the north side.

Other than viewing from the 10th Avenue bridge, the public is asked to stay away from the construction area for safety reasons. For additional information about the project, the public is invited to attend a Sidewalk Superintendent Talk. These events are held every Saturday at 11 a.m. Project representatives lead groups across the 10th Avenue bridge, provide an overview of the project and answer questions. Meet in front of Grandma’s Saloon at Washington Avenue South and 19th Avenue.

Signs describing the design/build process have been mounted to the railing along the 10th Avenue Bridge.

For more information on the project, visit the project Web site at www.mndot.gov or call the I-35W Project hotline at 612/236-6901. [Editor] Press release source. [/Editor]

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