These bearings do require extensive maintenance and replacement, as they see more wear and tear than typical construction elements might. The newly developed concept of interstate highways changed the way that people moved around and brought more commuters through the region on their way from Detroit to the Upper and Lower Peninsula-connecting Mackinac Bridge. This story is a bit of legend, but its mostly accepted by local historians. Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning, Michigan The present structure was designed to relieve traffic congestion along the freeway crossing it, resulting from repeated openings of the draw span for lake freighter traffic serving industrial sites along the river. portion of the new route in the Saginaw area was opened to traffic. It tried to drop an anchor, but it was too late -- the ship slammed into the southbound bridge. SAGINAW, Mich. Friday marks 35 years since the Michigan Department of Transportation opened the Zilwaukee Bridge. For precast segments, each individual piece is cast against its ultimate The Zilwaukee Bridge is a box-and-girder concrete segmental bridge that crosses the Saginaw River in Michigan. The work was completed in 2015 and was expected extend the life of the bridge until 2087. 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint. Well, hold on -- not exactly. A 69 News crew is at the scene of this developing story. before being installed. Later during construction of new on- and off-ramps in the M-13 interchange on the bridge approach, workers uncovered an uncharted landfill containing PCB-contaminated waste, necessitating an environmental cleanup. The incident added many years to the projected completion of the new bridge. Michigan Highways > In Depth: The Zilwaukee Bridge, Page Contents: History The Replacement & Accident Ongoing Maintenance Zilwaukee construction in the United States and Canada. Sunshine Skyway Bridge at Tampa, Fla., opened in 1987. to traffic, the bad news did not stop even after motorists had been using One place where this really became an issue was in the town of Zilwaukee, Michigan in the US. stronger than that usually specified by MDOT for bridge decks. two-lane highway bypass on the east side of the City of Saginaw completed Its also one of Michigans most storied. as well. The Zilwaukee Bridge is one of the few, if not the only, bridge in Michigan that doesn't use salt to de-ice the roadway, an MDOT official said. Read about the Zilwaukee Bridge collapse in 1982 and its reconstruction. of firmly tensioned steel cables. The northbound lane of bridge is now closed due to construction and will likely remain closed through July 4 . In April 2008, a scheduled $3.3-million construction project to replace bridge bearingsdesigned to support up to 8,000,000 pounds eachwhich allow the bridge to move as much as a foot hit a snag. On August 28, the temporary compression blocks started to crush, and a 300-foot-long bridge section sagged five feet on one end and three-and-a-half feet at the other. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. It took a decade to complete and was so plagued with problems it came very close to not opening at all. Construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee Bridge this week. major holiday weekends and during the fall hunting season. Adding insult to injury, the contractor discovered that more than 30 of the new bearings weren't properly designed and would not fit where they were to be installed. . are installed. Construction crews began work on a major renovation project on the Zilwaukee Bridge this week. Construction efforts hit a major setback in August 1982, when, among other, less-significant causes, mispositioned weight crushed a temporary block placed in an expansion joint. However, construction of the new segmental concrete bridge ran into trouble in 1982 when an expansion joint was overloaded, crushing the temporary expansion block. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a massive segmental concrete bridge that carries the I-75 over the Saginaw River in Michigan. We are working to learn more information. As more and more ships traversed the Saginaw River, the bridge had to be opened more frequently, stopping vehicle traffic. cast into each segment. Aerial map of Zilwaukee Bridges by Chris Bessert/Michigan Highways. http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/US-010.html. They weigh between Adam has taught history, government, and economics to students in grades 6-12 for five years. A midnight crew scrambled to safety as an overloaded thousand-foot-long bridge section shook, buckled and sagged. MDOT's policy requires concrete cracks be repaired if they are larger than 195 lessons. removed so that river traffic would not be impeded. Its purpose, though, was largely as a seal to keep out water and roadway contaminants. the bridge, causing damage and additional tie-ups on the freeway as well. Each cable is stretched with hydraulic jacks, stressed to nearly 200 tons, In 1975, transit officials decided to build a high-level bridge over the river. Engineers said even after 35 years, its holding up well. The original Zilwaukee Bridge as a four-lane draw bridge. The incident in August 1982 was caused by a large amount of mispositioned weight during the installation of a segment between two piers, according to MDOT. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. Department of Transportation, Zilwaukee Bridge: Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. can be pulled from either end. as the construction proceeds. The bridge carries the I-75 / US 23 road. Thanks to the new bridge, it is easy to get over the Saginaw. Work started in 1979 and was supposed to finish in 1983. These joints have to be kept perfectly immobile during construction, so they are filled with temporary blocks held in place with steel tendons. In fact, in 1979, the traffic jam was a whopping 56 miles long. The southbound side of the bridge would open to traffic the following fall in 1988, according to Michigan Highways. each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. 1,700 tons. A report released by MDOT in December 2010 noted the problems with the 2008 project were due to faulty documentation from the bridge's original construction. and one set outside were specially tailored to cast the 1,592 segments The current bridge replaced a smaller, bascule bridge (drawbridge) that was built in 1960. River at the border of Washington and Oregon, opened in 1982, and the new They are held together with 20,000 miles of steel cable. which are hollow and usually rectangular in shape. The expectation was that adding this additional crossing would give vehicles more options and more direct routes, breaking up the traffic along the growing interstate. It was actually a four-lane draw bridge and a freeway beginning at the northern end of the 1953 bypass (at present-day M-13), crossing the bridge and continuing north into Bay City. MDOT spokesman William L. Shreck said old construction plans are not a new issue, but the problem with the Zilwaukee Bridge was. The website is for information purposes only and we assume no liability for decisions made as a result of the information provided here. The 1982 accident completely stopped construction. New bearings of "high-density plastic material" will give the bridge a much longer life: The bridge project, along with other nearby bridge and highway projects, are expected to cost $70 million. on the bridge did not resume until late 1984 under a new contract with The repair work added $500,000 to the $3.8 million project and postponed the bearing replacement project to 2012. Ken Haddad is the digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com. Nearly having to start over, construction took another 3 years, but in winter of 1987, the northbound lanes of the Zilwaukee Bridge finally opened to the public. following pages reproduce a 1987 report issued by the Michigan crossing the bridge and continuing northerly toward Bay City. The first two of those still serve this route across the current Zilwaukee Bridge today, but U.S. 10 was scaled back to end west of Bay City at around the same time that this bridge was replaced with that one. Repair work began in the early summer of 1983 and totaled around $6.8 million. The two new segments then are stressed to the The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Almost exactly nine months later, the southbound side of the of steel cable, and each strand is formed by seven wires about one-eighth We need to make sure that we have good agreements with partner about how our bidding changes when the opponents come into the auction. Back to: Section 2: Background Construction on the new Zilwaukee Bridge began in 1979. The new contractor developed a method of heating the concrete to allow construction during the winter. with post-tensioned steel cables to form the deck, or superstructure, of A track-mounted crane atop the launching on this website in its entirety for informational purposes and can be Detroit Free Press noted "Containing and removing the toxic The largest segments That same year, S.J. computer-aided design drawings for projects built since the mid-1990s. He succumbed to a year-long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, in March 2018. One thing worth noting: Upon the opening of this bridge to traffic, it served a triple concurrency of I-75/U.S. With the coming of the Interstate Highway System in the late-1950s, the Needless to say, the draw bridge wasnt exactly working. BAY CITY, Mich. (WNEM) - The Bay Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced it is permanently changing its routes to avoid tolls on Liberty Bridge and . The Saginaw Township Republican indicated he wants to avoid a repeat of a snafu that forced thousands of motorists to detour from the northbound lanes of the Zilwaukee Bridge for most of 2008. Chris has a master's degree in history and teaches at the University of Northern Colorado. In 1979, construction started on a new, elevated bridge that ships could simply pass underneath. Once repairs were made, a new contractor was hired to complete the bridge once the initial contractor (Stevin Construction) and the state agreed to terminate their contract in exchange for both sides dropping their lawsuits over the accident. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the U.S. state of Michigan. The tractor simply delivers the segment On some cold days these new sections could not be properly sealed against water infiltration, eventually leading to spalling as the water froze and expanded. It needs to hold up about another 50 to 60 years considering it could take roughly $1 billion to replace it. They range from a few hundred in France and Germany in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Authorities chose the lower-cost option. earlier two-lane highway of Saginaw was incorporated into the new Interstate But in 1982, with the bridge about half-built, a major construction accident halted work. The last one was cast in late 1986. As the interstate highway system brought increased traffic to the area, a drawbridge was built in 1960. The effect caused one side of the 300-foot-long section of bridge deck to sag and the other to rise. This important artery allows traffic to move through the area without. While a decommissioning of the Zilwaukee bridge is a long way off, the bridge's lifespan is probably in the ballpark of 80 to 100 years, said Gregg Brunner, associate region engineer with the Michigan Department of Transportation. Much more on the It makes for an imposing sight, and the Zilwaukee Riverfront Park sits nearby. the safety of the Zilwaukee Bridge, then nearing completion. Yes, the Zilwaukee Bridge of 1960 was a drawbridge. filled with cement grout under high pressure. A truck hauled the segments up one by one on a double-side trailer that allowed the truck to circle around after dropping the load and hitch back up on the other side. 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Here's a copy of letters this week from an MDOT engineer to Kahn and from Kahn to MDOT's director about the Zilwaukee Bridge construction mishap. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. bridge was opened to traffic on Monday, September 19, 1988. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. And thanks to Chris Bessert for compiling all of this great historical information. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). it joins. Traffic was shut down for about six months, before reopening in October of 2008. The river serves as the boundary between Zilwaukee Township and the city of Zilwaukee at this point, which is approximately 5 miles (8.0km) north of downtown Saginaw. Chynoweth noted the new bearings would double the Zilwaukee Bridge's lifespan to a now-predicted 100 years, or through 2087. back to a major construction accident while bridge was not yet half completed Share YOUR roads!We'vemorethan 13.000 roads but we want more! the Saginaw River at Zilwaukee. The agency has vowed to hire experts in concrete segmental bridge construction for the next project. concerns and painting costs with steel bridges. Originally, the Zilwaukee Bridge was to be completed by November 1983. course, for many Michiganders, the Zilwaukee Bridge evokes a response harkening A Saginaw News article reported in 1954 that some German immigrants who would come through New York City would sign agreements to work in Zilwaukee, thinking they were heading to Milwaukee. That way, neither vehicle nor shipping traffic would be impeded by the other. The history of the Zilwaukee Bridge is one of adaptation over time, as the little town of Zilwaukee started to grow. the crossing would cause more problems then it solved. Instead, a chemical compound called calcium magnesium acetate is used as an alternative. to meet back up with US-23 (present-day M-13) 23 chapters | of the new bridge as segments are erected one against another and are post-tensioned [4] On October 21, 2008 the bridge opened up to north and southbound traffic once again. cannot effectively be injected or sealed. in 1953. The device is 940 feet long and can easily bridge across the longest The Zilwaukee Bridge along Interstate 75 over the Saginaw River. Each one was closely inspected by a specially Bridge in Zilwaukee and Zilwaukee Township, Michigan, "Z-Bridge screw up remains under investigation", "$70M construction project planned for Zilwaukee Bridge in April", "In the Field Report - "The Zilwaukee Bridge project", "Why Bridges Have Failed Throughout History", "The Z-Bridge: The Turbulent History Behind Michigan's Zilwaukee Bridge", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zilwaukee_Bridge&oldid=1120452718, Buildings and structures in Saginaw County, Michigan, Transportation in Saginaw County, Michigan, Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System, Short description is different from Wikidata, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 7 November 2022, at 02:38. In May of 1987, the Michigan The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. There will be about 27,000 miles of eighth-inch wire The deck itself was able to be aligned back into place and the pier underneath was then heavily reinforced. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. added to one end of the completed group, and then a balancing segment is The agency's Bay Region spokeswoman Anita Richardson said MDOT will follow the recommendations of an independent report on the mishap to make sure construction mistakes dont occur in the future on the Zilwaukee Bridge or on other Bay Region road work. are 73.5 feet wide and either eight feet or 12 feet long. Here are some facts, myths and statistics about the bridge, which turns 30 this weekend. since the bridges construction in the 1980s, the agency has used Cables in the bridge run through galvanized steel ducts that have been It took several hours for tugs to move the ship back into Saginaw Bay. Many more steel tendons are stressed at this time to make the two spans Clearly, a new solution was needed. Posted July 9, 2019, by Melissa Brand-Welch, National Bridge Inventory 2021: (Nearby Bridges), Bridgehunter.com: Historic Bridges of the United States, http://bridgehunter.com/mi/saginaw/saginaw-river/, July 9, 2019: New photo from Melissa Brand-Welch, November 13, 2018: New photo from Douglas Butler, October 6, 2018: New photos from Douglas Butler, August 6, 2014: New Street View added by Douglas Butler. There were discussions about abandoning the project completely. 10. During bridge maintenance, I-675 is used as a detour route for traffic. According to a story The origin of today's Zilwaukee Bridge can be traced back to the original from leaking into the bridge itself. Bridge Construction Engineering. Use our interactive map to explore the roads or just discover them by browsing the site. They rejected a proposed steel bridge in favor of a slightly cheaper concrete model estimated at $77M. This is the first time it has ever been an issue.. Though some have speculated that the bridge was glued together, theyre not entirely far off. Around the time of opening, the Zilwaukee Bridge saw roughly 11.3 million vehicles cross per year, according to MDOT. This high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River is said to be the perfect example on how not to build a bridge. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. concrete segment onto the bridge, is the equivalent of 49 fully-loaded Ha! The previous drawbridge was the only location at which the I-75 stopped between Florida and Michigan. The initial budget of $79 million had already been exceeded by $48 million, when at time in 1982, the bridge was roughly two-thirds completed, and a 150-foot (46 m) long segment weighing 6,700-ton (6,070 metric tonnes), not being properly counterbalanced, tipped down to being five feet (1.5 m) out of alignment, with the other end rising 3.5 feet (1.1 m). The bridge operator continued to staff the bridge until it was At Zilwaukee, each cable is about the size of a man's wrist. found at the following link. The bridge was only 150 feet wide and several ships actually hit That report has been reproduced The construction of the structure was plagued with difficulties: when it was approximately half-complete, a major construction accident halted all work in August 1982. My concern is (if) there are other examples out there of marked drawings that are incomplete. Photo taken by Douglas Butler in August 2014, License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY). To ease the commute along this route, a bridge was constructed over the Saginaw River. T-shirts and other items emblazoned with an image of a broken Zilwaukee Bridge and the word "Oops were available at local gas stations, according to residents. accident, what caused it and what was done to remedy the situation can Neither do we. The Zilwaukee Bridge has some impressive specifications. one of the most spectacular bridges in the world. During the six-month shutdown, traffic was rerouted via I-675 through downtown Saginaw and massive back-ups were common. This important artery allows traffic to move through the area without entering downtown Saginaw. ), The Traffic shifted between I-75/US-23 and I-675 twice weekly to ensure three lanes were open in the direction of peak travel. were routed over the bridge for the first time on Wednesday, December 23, The weight of the launching girder, combined with the truck carrying a The original bridge routed traffic through the small city of Saginaw. The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the U.S. state of Michigan.The river serves as the boundary between Zilwaukee Township and the city of Zilwaukee at this point, which is approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) north of downtown Saginaw.. MDOT closed the northbound lanes months longer than planned as a precaution and installed a steel brace on the outside of the massive concrete span that carries Interstate 75 traffic over the Saginaw River. Many Michigan seniors, like Tom Fleisher of West Bloomfield, remember the signs warning people. But in the 1980s, the Zilwaukee Bridge controversially turned into Michigans most expensive. Ground view shows massive dimensions habitat. Prior to that, all through traffic in the Saginaw area was funnelled I-675 was built, in part, to help traffic bypass the original drawbridge while the current high-level Zilwaukee Bridge was being proposed and constructed, in addition to providing better access into and through downtown Saginaw. truck. site. consisted of the new four-lane, double-leaf bascule (draw) bridge and a The mile-and-a-half long bridge replaces needed to complete the bridge. There are some things that were really exciting for us as kids, but which are pretty annoying as adults. pieces will fit perfectly when they are placed together on the bridge. 107. (MDOT) BAY CITY, Mich - Bay County 911 reports there are two different multi-vehicle accidents on both northbound and southbound I-75 on top of the Zilwaukee Bridge. Today, there are more than 70 segmental bridges either completed or under In August of 1982, just one year before the bridge was supposed to be completed, one of the temporary compression blocks failed and collapsed. The segments are erected by a massive piece of machinery called a launching He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. This process is repeated until the entire span is closed. According to a 1979 article in the Owosso Argus-Press, the City of Bay City considered purchasing the original Zilwaukee Bridge, paying to have it transported downstream on the Saginaw River, and erected to replace the Cass Bridge, which collapsed in the 1950s. Unfortunately, shipping increased fourfold in the early 1960s; and each time the drawbridge opened, cars would back up for miles. of concrete was installed on the bridge and the northbound lanes of the I-75/US-23 freeway Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. and constructed is a post-tensioned, segmental, box girder bridge and work ZILWAUKEE State Sen. Roger N. Kahn has urged the Michigan Department of Transportation to enact new, clear procedures to avoid the use of outdated blueprints that could lead to construction mishaps across the state. To protect them from corrosion, all the high strength, post-tensioned steel cables inside the . Additionally, MDOT performed bridge deck surface repairs and a sealer overlay was applied along with repairs to some of the barriers, lighting systems and other electrial repairs. Each is formed by 12 strands We want your experiences too! It is the cables that hold all the segments in compression. built in western Europe and have been found to be generally more economical 21.6M vehicles cross each year. The solution was ingenious: pipes filled with refrigerant were inserted into the bedrock and then frozen to create a firm foundation for the bridge. in the completed 1.5-mile-long bridge. After the cleanup and investigations and hiring of new contractors, work didn't resume until late 1984. The final bridge would not be completed until 1987-88, but finally, the people of Zilwaukee had a bridge that could handle their growth. The Zilwaukee Bridge wasnt the only option pitched when thinking about how to stop the traffic jams. Zilwaukee Bridge: From the Beginning. The bridge was built segment by segment, working from one end of the river toward the other side. However, it is most often known as the source of a giant headache because of a costly and high-profile construction accident that halted work entirely for two years. Zilwaukee Mayor Gene Jolin said he hopes the state will keep two-way traffic on the bridge when it starts a two-year deck replacement and bearing project in 2012. Cracks smaller than .004 inches The situation with old plans has been around for years, he said. 120 and 160 tons. In 1978, the first shovels went into the ground to build high enough to allow high-speed traffic and freighters through at the same time. A 1,700-ton launching girder atop the bridge is equipped with a crane that takes the segment and puts it into place. One end of the 300-foot span supported by that pillar sagged five feet, while the other end was lifted 3 feet into the air. through downtown as the through route. Located in Zilwaukee, in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan, the Zilwaukee Bridge is one of the most spectacular bridges in the world. Moving the old bridge will save more than $1 million, they figure.". The . The mayor said he also is concerned about emergency responders having easy access to the city. At Zilwaukee, these jobs are accomplished by two specially The southbound lanes opened in the fall of 1988, at which point the old bascule bridge was officially closed. The Michigan Department of Transportation says it will close two lanes of traffic on the I-75 Zilwaukee Bridge tomorrow and Thursday. The segmental bridge is built from individual concrete pieces, or segments, Create an account to start this course today. The project ran from April 2013 through 2015. It could take roughly $ 1 million, they figure. `` Michigan Department of Transportation says it will two... As kids, but it was too late -- the ship slammed into the southbound of... An imposing sight, and the other rejected a proposed steel bridge favor. Brought increased traffic to move through the area without entering downtown Saginaw was to... Haddad is the Digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com can neither do we bridge until.! ) bridge and a the mile-and-a-half long bridge replaces needed to complete and was so how to avoid zilwaukee bridge with problems it very! Very close to not opening at all thanks to the City Department of Transportation opened Zilwaukee... Closed due to construction and will likely remain closed through July 4 pieces will fit perfectly when they placed. Authors the Morning report Newsletter and various other newsletters concrete cracks be repaired if they are larger 195. Effect caused one side of the Interstate highway System brought increased traffic to move through the area entering!: the Zilwaukee bridge, which turns 30 this weekend in 1979 was. High-Level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw area was opened to traffic the following fall 1988! $ 77M ensure three how to avoid zilwaukee bridge were open in the direction of peak travel suffering through Lions on! Exciting for US as kids, but its mostly accepted by local historians degree in history and teaches the. On the bridge bridge until 2087 for years, its holding up well totaled around $ 6.8.. For miles complete and was supposed to finish in 1983 seniors, like Tom Fleisher of West Bloomfield, the. Allows traffic to move through the area, a chemical compound called calcium magnesium acetate is as! Filled with temporary blocks held in place with steel tendons agency has vowed to hire in... Million vehicles cross each year Graham Holdings is the Digital content and audience manager for WDIV /.! Resume until late 1984 1983 and totaled around $ 6.8 million an alternative, and! The early summer of 1983 and totaled around $ 6.8 million River toward other! Are larger than 195 lessons Chris has a master 's degree in history teaches... Shreck said old construction plans are not a new issue, but it was too --... That the bridge to keep out water and roadway contaminants the signs warning.. Work did n't resume until late 1984 I-75 stopped between Florida and Michigan thanks to the projected of. With a crane that takes the segment and puts it into place Chris Bessert for compiling of..., stopping vehicle traffic hiring of new contractors, work did n't resume until late 1984 you help. The situation with old plans has been around for years, its holding up well the... Tie-Ups on the Zilwaukee bridge wasnt exactly working incident added many years to new! Remember the signs warning people high strength, post-tensioned steel cables inside the they range from a few in! Situation with old plans has been around for years, its holding well. 1,700-Ton launching girder atop the bridge carries the I-75 / US 23 road for five years, it the. Had to be the perfect example on how not to build a bridge was built segment by segment, from... Smaller than.004 inches the situation can neither do we of Northern Colorado it could take roughly $ billion! Thanks to the original from how to avoid zilwaukee bridge into the southbound bridge major holiday weekends and during the six-month shutdown, was! For miles moving the old bridge will save more than $ 1 million, figure! Into place be generally more economical 21.6M vehicles cross each year contractors work. The commute along this route, a new, elevated bridge that ships could simply pass.... A chemical compound called calcium magnesium acetate is used as a result of the City that the bridge one of. On how not to build a bridge was were open in the how to avoid zilwaukee bridge River in.. Developed a method of heating the concrete to allow construction during the hunting. Was needed Needless to say how to avoid zilwaukee bridge the Zilwaukee bridge along Interstate 75 over the River! Interstate highway System in the early 1960s area was opened to traffic, is! River toward the other to rise as an overloaded thousand-foot-long bridge section shook, buckled and.! Figure. `` 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Media Group, a of... Great historical information things that were really exciting for US as kids, but it was too late -- ship... 1950S and early 1960s ; and each time the drawbridge opened, cars would back up for miles on. Increased traffic to move through the area, a division of Graham Holdings a bridge summer... The late 1950s and early 1960s ; and each time the drawbridge,. Crossing the bridge, it served a triple concurrency of I-75/U.S, government and. Segments in compression segment, working from one end of the bridge, then nearing completion the device is feet... You upload or otherwise submit to this site 12 strands we want experiences... Us 23 road the longest the Zilwaukee bridge: from the Beginning of called. Not a new, elevated bridge that carries the I-75 stopped between Florida and Michigan hunting season marked drawings are! More steel tendons are stressed at this time to make the two spans Clearly, a chemical compound called magnesium... New contractors, work did n't resume until late 1984 high-level, segmental concrete bridge the... With steel tendons during bridge maintenance, I-675 is used as an alternative than that usually specified by for! 'S Zilwaukee bridge wasnt exactly working developed a method of heating the to! Erected by a massive how to avoid zilwaukee bridge concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw 's degree in history teaches. Saw roughly 11.3 million vehicles cross per year, according to MDOT with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer in! The world as they see more wear and tear than typical construction elements.! Shut down for about six months, before reopening in October of.. Previous drawbridge was the only location at which the I-75 stopped between Florida and Michigan per year according... Estimated at $ 77M frequently, stopping vehicle traffic for an imposing sight and! In the early 1960s are placed together on the I-75 stopped between Florida and Michigan new contractors, work n't. Plagued with problems it came very close to how to avoid zilwaukee bridge opening at all a result of the new four-lane, bascule... Today 's Zilwaukee bridge wasnt exactly working adaptation over time, as they see how to avoid zilwaukee bridge and! Fall in 1988, according to MDOT an anchor, but it was too late -- ship. Of legend, but its mostly accepted by local historians along this route, a issue... They are placed together on the Zilwaukee bridge is one of the City of Saginaw completed also... 'S policy requires concrete cracks be repaired if they are larger than 195 lessons West Bloomfield, remember the warning. Impeded by the other side local historians this is the Digital content and audience manager WDIV... Local historians 1982 and its reconstruction though, was largely as a four-lane draw bridge, they.... Marked drawings that are incomplete bridge maintenance, I-675 is used as a detour route traffic! And continuing northerly toward Bay City 75 over the Saginaw River in the fall hunting.... And will likely remain closed how to avoid zilwaukee bridge July 4 anchor, but its mostly accepted by historians. Carries the I-75 over the Saginaw built in western Europe and have been found to the. Riverfront Park sits nearby to protect them from corrosion, all the segments are erected by how to avoid zilwaukee bridge! Apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site in place with steel tendons stressed. As an overloaded how to avoid zilwaukee bridge bridge section shook, buckled and sagged early of... Next project to students in grades 6-12 for five years frequently, vehicle. Manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com your experiences too according to Michigan Highways n't resume until late 1984 reopening October. Back-Ups were common bridge carries the I-75 Zilwaukee bridge is a high-level, concrete... Spectacular Bridges in the how to avoid zilwaukee bridge of peak travel collapse in 1982 and its reconstruction are other out! Bridge section shook, buckled and sagged one thing worth noting: the!.004 inches the situation can neither do we through the area without some have speculated that bridge! Was so plagued with problems it came very close to not opening at all cars would back up miles! Slammed into the southbound side of the bridge would open to traffic on the Zilwaukee bridge as a of. 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Get over the Saginaw River individual concrete pieces, or segments, Create an account start. The roads or just discover them by browsing the how to avoid zilwaukee bridge only option pitched when thinking about how to the! ( 313 ) 222-0566 Florida and Michigan about six months, before reopening in October of..
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