What a beautiful fall afternoon for our team to get out and do our part with WisDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program. Our section of road is Spring Green Hwy 14 STH 23 intersection to the Wisconsin River. Please remember to do your part in keeping our roadways clean! For more information on WisDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program visit https://wisconsindot.gov/…/roads…/adopt-hwy/default.aspx.

We are excited to announce that we now have a college scholarship application available to any current civil engineering student. Deadline to apply is October 31, 2021.

The scholarship application can be found here.

A project close to home! Kraemer North America (KNA) was selected to complete the bridge deck replacement for State Hwy 23 over the Wisconsin River near Spring Green, WI. KNA contracted with Westbrook Associated Engineers, Inc. (WAE) to create an alternate concrete deck pour sequence to accelerate the construction of this project.  Westbrook’s office is only two miles from the bridge, and WAE visited the site during each stage of the revised pour sequence. The bridge is expected to open to one-lane traffic mid-June.

Westbrook is proud to be a part of this project, which is vital to our local community. We look forward to the completion of the project by KNA and continue to find new ways to serve our local community.

 

Westbrook Associated Engineers provided engineering services to ICC Group and DemTech (blasting services) for the demolition of Sandy Ford Bridge over the Vermilion River in Lasalle County, Illinois. Sandy Ford, built in 1958, was a 192-foot single-span Pratt through truss with a 50-foot approach span on either side. After 62 years of faithful service, it was decided that the bridge was not fit for use anymore as it was narrow and contained fracture critical members (FCM) that didn’t meet the current bridge standards.

The bridge was closed when demolition began in March of 2021. The deck and approach spans were removed prior to blasting the truss. After blasting, all five fallen truss sections were cut into smaller pieces and removed with a crane. Engineering services provided by Westbrook included calculations to determine blast locations, engineered means and methods for removing deck and approach spans, and calculations showing that the existing bridge could support the necessary equipment for demolition. It was replaced by a 200-foot single-span composite bridge in 2021.

Check out our Facebook or LinkedIn page for a slow motion video of the demo!

The Wells/Wentworth Connector is part an ongoing, large-scale urban development project in downtown Chicago. The urban development project, nicknamed ‘The 78’, entails the development of a 62-acre site along the banks of the Chicago River and is proposed to be the future home of a multitude of new residences, businesses, and parks.

At the heart of this development, is the connection and realignment of existing Wells Street and Wentworth Avenue to provide access throughout the development. This realignment required two new bridges to be designed and built to carry the METRA and CN rail lines, as well as nearly 1,400 linear feet of permanent retaining wall. Westbrook’s involvement in the project involved design of the permanent 2-track through plate girder bridge over Wells Street as well as the design of the nearly 1,400 linear feet of permanent retaining walls. Westbrook also provided a significant amount of construction engineering design including the design of temporary earth retention structures, two bridge roll-ins, railroad jump spans, etc.

Photo courtesy of: F.H. Paschen