Location: Jacksonville, FL Owner: Florida Department of Transportation Designer: HNTB Corporation Inspectors: Parsons Brinckerhoff Const. Services

Project Description: 
In July 1990, FDOT District Two retained HNTB to assist the Department in Project Development and Environmental Study for the Fuller Warren Bridge replacement. In 1992, HNTB was retained for Final Design. The existing Fuller Warren Bascule Bridge is one of two moveable bridges located on the Interstate. The project includes 1.4 miles of mainline bridge, 3000 feet of ramp on structure, 77,000 sq. ft. of MSE and cast-in-place retaining wall, drainage and roadway improvements, lighting, signing and traffic control. The existing Fuller Warren bridge is a four lane structure with no emergency lanes. The superstructure is concrete slab on steel rolled shapes or steel underslung trusses. The channel span is a double leaf bascule spanning about 175 ft. The bridge carries 100,000 vehicles a day on I-95, over the St. Johns River in Jacksonville. It was opened in 1954. The existing bridge is being replaced for several reasons including its substandard roadway width, frequently needed repairs and its being one of two stop conditions remaining on this major north - south expressway. To counteract the need for costly repairs before the new bridge is in service, the existing bridge is currently closed to vehicles with more than two axles.
The new bridge will provide three lanes in each direction for I-95 and an auxiliary lane in each direction for traffic to enter or exit I-95. Four 10 foot shoulders are provided. The main span is 250 feet and provides 75 feet of vertical clearance. The new bridge superstructures type is slab and PPC I-beam. Approach spans with few exceptions are 140 feet in length and use 78" Modified Bulb Tee beams made continuous for live load. At the east end of the project an existing bridge over the FEC railroad constructed with steel beams and Type II AASHTO girders is being widened in kind. At the west end of the project four spans of Type V AASHTO girders are detailed. Elastomeric bearing pads are used throughout the project except at the three span channel unit where pot bearings will be installed. Seismic continuity between the super and sub-structure is provided by 1 ½" diameter dowels cast into and projecting out of the top of the pier caps. The projecting dowels then reside inside 8" X 4" structural tube sections cast into the bottom surface of end diaphragms. The superstructure is supported by hammerhead type piers founded on 36", 48" or 72" diameter drilled shafts. The land pier columns are cast-in-place. The river pier columns and all of the beams on the project are precast at a yard set up and operated by BBCI for this project in Greencove Springs located about 30 miles south of the project on the St. Johns River. Precast elements are delivered down river to the construction site by barge.

Dates: 
PD&E Study: 1990
Final Design Contract: 1992
Estimated Completion: March 2002

Cost: 
Owner's Est. $112 Million, Project Bid $81 Million

Unique Features: 
The 650’ channel unit is 3 continuous spans (200’-250’-200’) made of 3 - 80" deep modified bulb tee segments and 2 haunched pier segments. The haunched pier segments transition from 120" deep at the piers to 80" deep at the ends. Each 5 segment run is post-tensioned by three tendons made of 15 - 0.6" prestressing strands running the length of the unit through the 8" beam webs.The erection method used for the channel unit calls for a temporary support system utilizing temporary piers to support the haunched pier segments and "strongbacks" to support the end segments and center segments (drop-in-beams). The project is architecturally enhanced by understating pier cap strength with post-tensioning, using buttresses and copings at pier cap to column connections, shaping pier columns using octagonal shapes and rustication and finally by coating all viewable concrete surfaces with a Class V Finish Coating.