NSBA 2018 Prize Bridge Awards

Baltimore—The National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA), a division of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) recognized Lancaster, Pa.-based High Steel Structures LLC as a winner in its Prize Bridge Awards. The awards were presented at the 2018 NASCC: The Steel Conference / World Steel Bridge Symposium, April 11-13 in Baltimore.

Held every two years, the program honors significant and innovative steel bridges in the U.S. and is the highest recognition bestowed by the U.S. structural steel industry. A panel of industry judges selected 15 projects from 50 entries submitted from around the country. The winning High Steel Structures projects included:

National Award Winner, Long Span category.
Greenfield Arch Bridge, Pittsburgh, PA

Connecting the communities of Greenfield and Schenley Park via Beechwood Boulevard over I-376, the open-spandrel steel deck arch bridge with Vierendeel struts recaptures the beauty of the 1921 bridge it replaced including decorative urns and pylons. Totaling 462’ in length, the ~ 54’10”- wide steel superstructure features two box arch ribs and a floor system composed of seven stringers and six floor beams—four fixed and two guided. High fabricated 950 tons of ASTM A572/GR50 steel for the $17.5 million structure, which was designed by HDR, Inc. and constructed by Mosites Construction Co., Inc. with completion in 2017.

Judge’s comments: “The challenging terrain and traffic flow made for an exceptionally difficult project. The single-span steel arch solution overcame those challenges while providing an elegant solution that complimented the original bridge,” said Amber Blanchard, PE, Minnesota Department of Transportation.

National Award Winner, Short Span Category
Rt. 340 Bridge in Waynesboro, VA

Comprising 181 tons of steel, the $7 million Rt. 340 haunched girder bridge carries Main Street traffic over the South River in Waynesboro’s downtown business district. The span is made from high-strength, corrosion-resistant ASTM A1010 plate intended to reduce long-term maintenance costs and traffic disruptions, and potentially increased service life in locations where weather and other conditions threaten performance. The material had to be treated differently from traditional steel plates, requiring plasma rather than oxyacetylene cuts and welding with special stainless steel consumables. Contractor Fairfield-Echols, LLC of Fishersville, Va. managed the project.

Judge’s comments: “A1010 will provide the owner with a superior corrosion protection system while reducing their long-term maintenance costs,” said Dominique Shannon, PE, Kansas Department of Transportation. “Although the upfront cost was more, I suspect the owner will be happy with the longevity and low costs the bridge provides.”

Merit Award, Major Span Category
Hulton Bridge, Pittsburgh PA

Located about 14 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, the Hulton Bridge spans the Allegheny River between the suburbs of Oakmont and Harmarville. The $64.8 million haunched girder structure includes four 11-foot lanes, a four-foot median and six-foot shoulders on each side of the roadway, and a sidewalk on the downstream side of the bridge. High fabricated 6,152tons of A572 Grade 50 steel, which was painted. The bridge was designed by Gannett Fleming, Inc. and constructed by Brayman Construction Corporation.

Judge’s comments: “The bridge is proportioned so well it masks the fact that the main span is 500 feet long. Coupled with an innovative strand jacking method of main-span construction, steel bridges again show their flexibility to adapt to any site,” said Frank Russo PE, PhD, Michael Baker International.

About the National Steel Bridge Alliance

The National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA), a division of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of steel bridge design and construction. Headquartered in Chicago, the NSBA functions as the voice of the bridge fabricators and steel mills while also partnering with the bridge design and construction community. The NSBA's partners include the American Association of State Highway and Transportation (AASHTO), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), state departments of transportation (DOTs), design consultant, contractors, and academia. For more information on NSBA, call 312.670.5439 or visit https://www.aisc.org/nsba/.