NYSDOT Ulster Bundled Bridges Project

The Details

The NYSDOT Region 8 Bundled Bridges were constructed in multiple locations throughout Ulster County, New York. In response to the complexity of the project and owner’s requirements, The Wesson Group (TWG) leveraged its joint venture with Harrison & Burrows Bridge Constructors, known as HBTWG JV LLC. The Wesson Group used design-build methods to replace 6 critical bridges over water. The design-build delivery method enabled the accelerated delivery of the project. Up to four construction sites operated simultaneously; four bridges were built under detoured conditions while the remaining two were built under staged construction. 

Scope of Work

• All sites had road work, full bridge replacements, intersection alterations, and restoration.

• This project utilized the design-build delivery method to facilitate an accelerated delivery of the project to utilize federal funding for the CBOW program.

• Blasting of existing bridge near a highly sensitive utility line

• New abutments were built behind the old abutments, piles were driven, and the profile of each road was raised to mitigate the effects of scour on the foundations & increase the hydraulic radius of the opening.

• Heavy stone fill was also installed in front of the abutments to armor the structures against water damage. The sites were restored to the new design conditions, which included modifications to intersections and traffic flow.

For more information on the project, please see the link below:

https://www.dot.ny.gov/main/business-center/designbuildproject19

The Challenge

All permitting along these class T streams in northern NY was included in this design build contract. These streams were environmentally sensitive trout streams. The federal funding was set to sunset and NYSDOT could not go through their traditional permit, design, bid, build process as they would lose the funding. Eagle habitats were present at certain sites. Seasonal highwater flows were present within the rivers. There were a large number of utility relocations, including one bridge with a main artery of the Verizon fiber network built into the bridge that was scheduled to be replaced.

The Result

The Wesson Group design build team was able to act years quicker than the traditional NYSDOT process, which allowed NYS taxpayers to construct the bridges with federal funding that was set to sunset and be returned to the federal government. The design build team was able to work in a manner that met requirements for both the fish habitat and the eagle habitat that would be disrupted during construction. The Wesson Group was able to use low impact construction techniques and accelerated construction methodology to lessen the impacts to the environment and the protected fauna. High precision demolition technology was employed to remove the 200' plus span bridge in High Falls, NY without disrupting the adjacent transmission lines, electrical distribution lines, and the conduits cast into the existing bridge housing the Verizon coaxial main trunk line.