New Bridge & Protected Fish
October 15, 2023
New Bridge & Protected Fish
Editor: Debbie Reaney
Vancouver-based contractor, Cascade Bridge, who specializes in bridge construction and rehabilitation was recently chosen to replace the century-old Cherrylane Bridge off U.S. Highway 12 near Lenore, ID. The original Cherrylane Bridge, which sees approximately 350 vehicles a day, is 15.4 feet wide and stretches 788 feet across the Clearwater River. Constructed in 1919 and last rehabilitated in 1978, replacement of the aging bridge had been in the making for nearly 20 years. The new $21 million replacement structure was built about 70 feet upstream and consists of an 800' (ft)-long four-span steel plate girder bridge with a 12-foot travel lane and 8-foot shoulder in each direction. Demolition of the existing bridge is currently in progress.
This job was a challenging one for pile driving, but the experts at Cascade Bridge wisely invested in quality pile driving equipment from International Construction Equipment, Inc to combat any obstacles. The crew began with the installation of a temporary work trestle to access the job site across the river using two ICE® I-30 Diesel Impact Hammers. Their own ICE® 44 Vibratory Hammer was also employed to drive more work trestle piles as well as NZ26 sheet piles for a cofferdam. While driving a group of trestle piles in an area with particularly tough soil near the surface, the crew discovered that a hammer with a bit more force than the ICE® 44 was required. The team of experienced professionals at Cascade were pleased to have an ICE® 110 Vibratory Hammer available to complete the trestle in this troublesome spot, doing so quickly and safely.
All work was done while abiding by the "fish window," or when fish migration is less common during a certain time of the year. This in-water work window offered a short duration of time to work with, but the high-performing ICE® deep foundation equipment helped the contractor meet the tight deadline, avoiding liquidated damages and disturbance to native marine life like B-run steelhead and chinook "king" salmon. As an additional environmental safety procedure, the application of a bubble curtain; or injected air flow that forms a barrier surrounding the job site; was also used to reduce underwater pile driving frequencies that can be lethal to fish.
In June of 2023, the long-awaited new Cherrylane Bridge was completed and was opened to traffic. This new bridge will better accommodate heavy freight traffic including emergency response vehicles and create safer access to and from the Nez Perce Indian Reservation, giving local Idaho residents and tourists some long-awaited relief. Cascade Bridge did a superb job of getting the bridge built quickly despite geographical and environmental challenges. Although the bridge is now finished, construction crews are now in the process of dismantling the old Cherrylane Bridge as well as the temporary work trestles that had been built to support this endeavor. Congratulations on a job well done, Cascade Bridge, ICE® salutes you!
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
