Nationwide permitting expedites bridge construction

Challenge

The floodplain posed environmental conflicts and limited potential design solutions for two Smith County replacement bridges.

Solution

To minimize impact to the jurisdictional waterways, our team designed single-span beam replacement bridges. Potential flooding was alleviated with the steepened rip-rap on the approaching side slopes of the banks.

Value

The team gained design efficiency by using TxDOT-standard span and abutment details, requiring no special permits. Using nationwide permitting saved between 12 to 18 months on the overall bridge construction.