ICE® Supports Natural History
Deep Creek Bridge Rehabilitation 

Editor: Debbie Reaney

Seacoast Construction is leading the way to road rehabilitation on the Deep Creek Bridge in Putnam County, FL. Deep Creek is one of the tributaries of the Ocklawaha River and a historical site of America's first professional botanist William Bartram who explored the southeastern United States between 1765 and 1777. In his 1791 book called Travels, Bartram details his encounters with nature and even the indigenous people in eight southern states including Florida. His descriptions of exotic, subtropical Florida were particularly a favorite among his readers and had a major influence on settlement and subsequent development in the state. 

Established in 1976, the Bartram Trail Conference works to locate and mark the route of Bartram through the southern states in efforts to foster public interest in recreational trails and botanical gardens. Marker Number 31 of the Bartram Trail in Putnam County is located on the roadside at the Deep Creek Bridge. Safe access to the trail allows opportunities for hiking, biking, and paddling that can be found on its matrix of paths, inviting people of all ages to connect with parts of nature that the eminent naturalist once did. 

As is the case with many of America's bridges, improvements to the bridge support components are long overdue but thanks to the Florida DOT and Seacoast Construction these updates have finally commenced. To aid in the placement of the much-needed new pier piles, the Seacoast crew employed an ICE® 416L Vibratory Driver/Extractor for installing a template of steel H beams that would prop up the pier piles as they drive them in the ground. Once in place, an ICE® I-19 Diesel Impact Hammer will be used to drive prestressed concrete test piles of 18-inch diameter and about 100-foot length to determine the bearing capacity before the permanent pier piles are installed. The horizontal support beams underneath the bridge will also be replaced. 

Although this job is projected to last just seven months, it feels much longer for commuters who routinely cross the bridge but must now resort to a 30-mile detour around it. Thankfully, the contractor was aware of ICE® deep foundations equipment reputation and rented this machinery specifically for its proficiency and caliber. The high-quality manufacturing means less maintenance and service visits are required, speeding up production time on projects like Deep Creek Bridge and upholding International Construction Equipment, Inc.'s hammers as the most sought-after in the industry. Magnificent work, Seacoast Construction! Your hard work and dedication to creating safer access through one of northern Florida's historical landscapes will certainly continue to resonate with modern-day explorers and local residents alike. 

Learn more about the ICE® I-19V2 and ICE® 416L. 

Media Contact-    
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA    
Vice President Marketing, Brand and Media Relations  

Vice President IT and IT Comm 
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc    
Office - 704-821-8200    
Email - marketing@iceusa.com