Work Zone Mobility and Safety Program
Photo collage: temporary lane closure, road marking installation, cone with mounted warning light, and drum separated work zones.
Office of Operations 21st Century Operations Using 21st Century Technologies

Accelerated Construction

overhead bridge construction

Accelerated construction uses various techniques and technologies to help reduce construction time while enhancing/maintaining safety and quality.

New Item 1/11/10 2009 Domestic Scan of Accelerated Construction Practices

In 2009 the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) completed a domestic scan of accelerated construction practices for pavement and bridge construction projects. The scan tour visited 8 cities in 5 States and resulted in the identification of accelerated construction best practices in the areas of partnering, design, planning, and contracting strategies, and a set of case studies that demonstrate how projects can be successfully delivered much more rapidly.

Accelerated Construction Technology Transfer Program

The Accelerating Construction Technology Transfer (ACTT) Program promotes the use of innovative technologies and techniques to accelerate the construction of major highway projects or corridor improvements using a multidisciplinary team approach.

Pre-Fabricated Bridge Elements and Systems

Prefabricated bridge elements and systems offer bridge designers and contractors significant advantages in terms of construction time, safety, environmental impact, constructability, and cost.

Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs)

SPMTs have been used to accelerate bridge construction, as shown in these examples.

Examples

Utah I-215 Rapid Bridge Removal and Replacement Project
Utah DOT was awarded a $1 million grant from FHWA's Highways for LIFE Program to demonstrate the use of proven, innovative technologies for accelerated bridge reconstruction (ABC). This report documents the ABC techniques used to remove and replace the 4500 South Bridge on State Route 266 over I-215 in Salt Lake City over a weekend. Using the ABC techniques added approximately $0.8 million to the initial construction cost and saved about $3.24 million in road user costs. Because of the success of this project, UDOT has decided to use ABC techniques more routinely on future projects and has set a goal of making ABC standard practice for all bridges by 2010.

24th Street Overpass Bridge Construction in Iowa
Through the use of Highways for LIFE (HfL) innovations to accelerate construction, the $12.5 million 24th Street overpass bridge in Council Bluffs, Iowa was constructed in 1 year rather than the standard 2 years. Innovations included the use of full-depth pre-cast deck panels that reduced the hazard of working over live interstate traffic and improved traffic flow during construction; cost plus time bidding (A+B bidding) that shortened construction time by enabling IDOT to select the most efficient bid; and high performance concrete that should increase performance and long-term durability.

Minnesota I-35W Bridge Reconstruction
Minnesota was able to complete reconstruction of the new I-35W bridge in 11 months due to a number of accelerated construction strategies. These strategies included using prefabricated concrete segments; having one person in charge throughout the entire project, instead of different managers for the environmental assessment, design, and construction phases; maintaining close coordination between agencies; having full closure of the project area; and offering $27 million in incentives for finishing before the December 2008 deadline.

Use of Rapid Replacement in Virginia Projects
Using Highways for LIFE Grants, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is piloting innovative construction techniques and technologies on two projects. One project will evaluate two precast concrete pavement technologies. Results are not yet available for this project. For the other project, VDOT used prefabricated bridge elements constructed off-site and assembled on-site during weekend closures to speed construction of a three-span, two-lane southbound bridge. The use of accelerated construction techniques on this project resulted in a reduction in project time from 100 days to three weekend closures and led to cost savings of more than $2 million. Using accelerated construction techniques also helped the project meet performance goals for safety, construction congestion, and user satisfaction.

Caltrans Long-life Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies (LLPRS) Program
Caltrans began implementing its Long-Life Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies (LLPRS) program in 1998. While LLPRS is not specifically an accelerated construction strategy, many of the projects that have been completed as part of the program have used a variety of strategies to accelerate construction. The goal of the LLPRS program is to rebuild approximately 2,800 lane-km of high volume urban freeway with pavements that are designed to last more than thirty years with minimal maintenance. The LLPRS Program also addresses the state's need for cost effective approaches for rebuilding the aging pavements in its urban highway network.

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