Delta Construction Co.’s Bridge Division employees are experts in bridge engineering. This division was created in 2014 and has since constructed six bridges in Lane County and 14 bridges overall. Bridge Division employee responsibilities include construction and management of projects containing large culverts, pedestrian bridges, highway bridges, retaining walls, and roadway structures (i.e., sign bridges, traffic lights, barriers, and more). Our highly skilled bridge builders help to ensure the safety of all Lane County residents by maintaining the safety of each of our local bridges.
What bridges has Delta Construction Co. built in Lane County?
The three most recent projects by Delta’s Bridge Division are the OR 34-US 20 South Bypass, The OR 38 Luder Creek Culvert Replacement and the Thomas Creek (Gilkey Covered) Bridge Rehabilitation.
OR 34-US 20 South Bypass
The OR 34-US 20 South Bypass added two miles of bike path along the highway including a new pedestrian bridge and a 1,000-foot solider pile retaining wall. The project also added a turn lane on the bypass to the highway, replaced two traffic signals to accommodate the new turn lanes, and repaved and restriped one mile of the highway.
OR 38 Luder Creek Culvert Replacement
The Luder Creek Culvert Replacement project reconstructed an 8-foot square box culvert on OR 38 between Scottsburg and Reedsport, Oregon, with a 100-foot bridge and realigned the stream where Luder Creek meets the Umpqua River. This project improved the creek’s fish habit.
Thomas Creek (Gilkey Covered) Bridge Rehabilitation
The Gilkey Covered Bridge, an historic covered bridge in Linn County that traverses Thomas Creek, was originally built in 1939. Delta Construction Co. rehabilitated the bridge by replacing all foundation elements including new steel piling, concrete abutments and piers. The historic truss also was rehabilitated with a new bottom cord, top cord strengthening plates, new decking, siding, roofing, and a fresh coat of paint. New approach spans were constructed and a wood approach guard railing was added to the sides of each entrance. Delta is proud to be able to keep historic landmarks such as this bridge in working order for future generations of Oregonians to enjoy.
What are the key components of a sturdy, quality bridge?
1. Compliant Design
Delta’s Bridge Division is sure to stay abreast of the current quality standards for bridge building. Modern construction puts a lot of effort into the seismic design of foundations along with protections to prevent washing out of the foundation.
2. Load Capacity
Today’s trucking standard loading is 105,000 pounds and oversized loads commonly are more than 200,000 pounds. Today’s bridges are designed to handle these loads.
3. Strong Materials
One of the great aspects of modern construction is that today’s materials are much stronger than those of 40 years ago. The reconstruction and refurbishing of aging bridges in Lane County is one way to ensure that Delta brings safety to our local transportation system.
What are the biggest challenges for bridge building in Oregon?
The biggest challenge of bridge building relates to the amount of time it takes to complete a project. Bridge construction is usually extended due to extenuating factors. For instance, traffic restrictions limit the working periods of construction projects and typically require them to be built in stages. It’s difficult to get work done on a road when it needs to be used during construction. As with all construction projects on and around existing infrastructure, allowing traffic passage slows down the construction of bridges in Oregon.
Proudly maintaining Eugene and Springfield’s Bridges
Especially in a state that is rich in rivers, bridge construction is an important component of local infrastructure and the construction industry. Delta Construction Co. is proud to be able to construct, restore and maintain local bridges in Lane County and across the state of Oregon. Contact us for more information about our bridge builders.