Saving America's Crumbling Bridges
Editor: Allison Braswell 

 Despite their importance, bridges are the most neglected components of U.S. infrastructure, especially those on local roads. The inconvenience of closures for inspections and frequency of bridge use too often results in deferred maintenance. The consequences are obvious--bridges are falling apart far faster than they are being repaired.  Bridges are integral elements of America's transportation systems--and 1 in 3 of them needs repair or replacement. This is a tough goal to meet, but International Construction Equipment, Inc manufactures the equipment for such tasks right here in the USA!

One such project is in the quaint, rural community of Hosford in Northwest Florida, where a bypass bridge over Yellow Creek is left with aged wooden piles in need of replacement. Given Hosford's small population of a few hundred inhabitants, maintenance of the outdated bridge has been long deferred due to its infrequent use. As a result of the delay, the wooden piles supporting the bridge were found to have vastly deteriorated during its last inspection. Even with small-town infrastructure, you can never be too careful by conducting regular safety inspections that can keep bridges in reliable operation.

Anderson Columbia Company was selected to build a new bridge over the creek. The team ran the ICE® 150-50 Hydraulic Rotary Head in conjunction with 36" (in) CFA drilling to a depth of 45' (ft), which prepared the final installation of 24" (in) concrete pile. The ICE® 150-50 features high torque producing superior extraction forces that maximized the contractor's drilling production.

Lane closures for bridge inspections and closing bridges entirely for reconstruction can be an inconvenience, but it beats the alternative of letting people drive in unsafe conditions. Thank you to Anderson Columbia for partnering with International Construction Equipment, Inc. for a task that will improve the lives of Florida's rural residents. ICE®'s line of top-quality drills and other deep foundation equipment can manage projects both large and small. For more information about our equipment, reach out to our Sales and Service team who will be happy to assist you.

Learn more about the ICE® 150-50.