Comprehensive Bridge Improvement Program

The Comprehensive Bridge Improvement Program involves the rehabilitation or replacement of bridges at five locations along Interstate 95 in West Greenwich and Exeter, RI. At four of these locations, the bridges carry I-95 over local roads, with each bound of the interstate carried by two independent bridge structures separated by a grassy median. These eight bridges include four single-span steel stringer bridges and four single-span prestressed concrete AASHTO girder bridges. At the fifth location, one bridge carries Route 102 (Victory Highway) over I-95. This last bridge was a three-span continuous steel plate girder structure.

For each of these nine bridges, BETA performed a thorough hands-on inspection, including both field and laboratory testing of the concrete decks and substructures. BETA also performed fatigue analysis calculations for the steel stringer bridges and seismic analyses of all of the bridges. The inspection and testing findings, the analysis results, along with recommended rehabilitation options, including budgetary cost estimates, were combined into Condition Evaluation Reports that were prepared for each structure.

RIDOT selected the resulting rehabilitation programs, including two-deck replacements, four superstructure replacements, and three complete bridge replacements, BETA prepared the designs, including all bridge, highway, and temporary traffic control plans and specifications. The Improvement Program is still ongoing, with construction completed on six of the bridges, and the remaining bridges in design and construction. The Program incorporates accelerated bridge construction techniques including Precast Bridge Elements and Systems.