Gannett Fleming bridge projects receive industry awards

Harrisburg, Pa. — Gannett Fleming announced that two signature bridges for which it provided expert engineering and design services have received prominent industry awards. The Hulton Bridge in Oakmont, Pa., was named among the Top 10 Bridges in the nation; while the American Parkway Bridge in Allentown, Pa., received the Lehigh Valley Award for Transportation.

Roads & Bridges magazine named the Hulton Bridge number seven on its Top 10 Bridges list for 2016. Traversing the Allegheny River, the Hulton Bridge is a vital link between Oakmont Borough and Harmar Township, and provides access to regional transportation connections, as well as the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Originally built in 1908, the bridge did not meet the traffic demands of growing communities, was structurally deficient, and was deteriorating at a rapid rate.

As the engineer-of-record, Gannett Fleming designed a 1,633-foot-long, multi-span, steel, haunched girder structure that is both efficient and elegant. It improved safety, traffic, functionality, and aesthetics, and now serves a community icon. The Roads & Bridges Top 10 Bridges list recognizes the top bridge projects in North America. Winners are selected based on project challenges, impact to the region, and scope of work.

The Roads & Bridges ranking adds to a growing list of accolades for the highly decorated Hulton Bridge, which also includes the Eugene C. Figg, Jr. Medal from the International Bridge Conference; Award of Merit from ENR Mid-Atlantic in its Best Projects of 2016 competition; Outstanding Highway Engineering Award from the American Society of Highway Engineers, Pittsburgh Section; Civil Engineering Achievement Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers, Pittsburgh Section; Outstanding New Major Bridge Award from the Association for Bridge, Construction, and Design, Pittsburgh Chapter; and Transportation Project of the Year in the March of Dimes Transportation, Building, and Construction Awards.

The American Parkway Lehigh River Bridge was named Best Transportation Project in the Lehigh Valley Planning Awards competition. The bridge fulfilled a 50-year need for a connection between Lehigh Valley’s City Center and U.S. Route 22 for increased commerce, reduced congestion, and improved traveler safety. The project involved the design and construction of a 6,000-foot-long, four-lane facility, with two new bridge structures, five signalized intersections, a 310-foot-long retaining wall, and a 540-foot-long noise wall. The most challenging and innovative aspect of the project was the Lehigh River Bridge, a 705-foot-long, five-span bridge over the river, Norfolk Southern Railroad, and S.R. 1007.

Sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, the Lehigh Valley Planning Awards honor planning and development achievements in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh and Northampton counties. Winners are recognized for originality and innovation, compatibility, effectiveness, results, engagement, and transferability. The American Parkway Lehigh River Bridge also was recognized as the Number Four Bridge on the Roads & Bridges Top 10 Bridges list for 2015 and the Outstanding New Medium Span Bridge by the Association for Bridge Construction and Design, Susquehanna Chapter.