ACEC-FL, the Florida organization for the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) selected American Consulting Professionals, LLC with the 2021 Honor Award SR 8 (I-10) A&N Railroad Bridge Precast Approach Slab Replacement in District 3 of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
The SR 8 (I-10) over Apalachicola Northern Railroad Approach Slab Replacement project part of an effort Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has been working toward to safely reduce lane closure times on high-volume, critical corridors. The Department partnered with American Consulting to develop an innovative process of using Precast Concrete Panel (PCP) technology to replace the east approach slab of the westbound bridge on SR 8 (I-10) over the Apalachicola Northern Railroad near Quincy, Florida.
The existing cast-in-place approach slab had been in service since the bridge was constructed in 1976, and it was exhibiting cracking, settlement, and movement under traffic loads. Until recently, approach slab replacements have relied on reducing traffic flow to one lane while the slab is reconstructed using cast-in-place methods, which can lead to lane closures of 14 day or more. This project employed phases to remove and replace sections of the approach slab with the PCPs that were strengthen with transvers post-tensioning. Through the methodical analysis and planning of our partner, the Department kept two lanes of traffic flowing during the heaviest times and limited daytime lane closure to only 2.5 days.
This project was extremely successful for the Department and is being used as a model for several other approach slab replacement projects along SR 8 (I-10) to reduce the impacts to our traveling public. Three more projects are currently under design using this methodology.