Video: Gilmerton Bridge replacement

Mechanicsburg, Pa. — Modjeski and Masters released a new project video detailing the replacement of the Gilmerton Bridge in Chesapeake, Va. One of five critical bridges in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, the Henry G. Gilmerton Bridge is an essential hub for more than 1 million vehicular and marine travelers each month. The original bascule span’s 11-foot clearance made it the most frequently opened bridge in Hampton Roads at 7,500 openings per year.

It needed to be replaced to accommodate future growth in an area becoming increasingly congested both on the land and in the water. The new vertical lift bridge — built using accelerated bridge construction (ABC) methods — will reduce bridge openings by 40 percent.

The city and U.S. Coast Guard required the new bridge to be built on the same alignment due to the geometry of the river and close proximity of a nearby railroad bridge. The 250-foot-long, 89-foot-wide lift span was erected on falsework up-river and floated in place — an operation considered to be the “crown jewel” for a project that had been in development for nearly 15 years.

The short video offers behind the scenes insight from designer, owner, contractor, and stakeholder perspectives.