After sunset on March 16, Mosser’s New Mainline Toll Plaza project was anything but silent.

The team placed a staff pedestrian bridge over the existing Ohio turnpike by mile marker 49. The overall length of bridge is 314.67’ and is separated into three spans: Span 1 is 105.83’ and 130,0000 lbs, Span 2 is 137.67’ and 165,000 lbs, and Span 3 is 71.16’ at 90,000 lbs. The size and weight of the spans required a 300-ton crane with 474,100 lbs of counterweight. The counterweights shift its position to keep the crane stable as the load increases. The swing radius for crane was 100’!

The Bridge Placement

The carefully planned bridge placement required to-the-minute coordination between the construction team and the Turnpike team. The Turnpike team used a traffic drag (official vehicles to block traffic to maintain a slow speed) starting two exits away from the project both east and westbound. Then, the construction team had a 20-minute window without traffic to lift, place, and begin welding the bridge in place. After given the all-clear, traffic was allowed to resume. Foundation Steel, the structural steel subcontractor, continued to weld the bearings to secure the bridge to the concrete piers. Once the welding was complete, the Turnpike performed another drag stop traffic and released the crane cables from the bridge, swinging the cables over the Turnpike and safely back onto the ground.

While the crane lifted the bridge onto the piers, the air was charged with excitement. Project managers held their breath, the safety team gave a thumbs up, and the laborers cheered as it was set perfectly on the first try. It was truly a sight to see!

The Full Scope

Mosser’s full scope of the project involves a new Mainline Toll Plaza, including two utility buildings, toll islands, toll booths, two canopies, and a prefabricated steel truss pedestrian bridge. Mosser is self-performing the sitework, concrete and masonry on the project and is on schedule to meet the October, 2021 deadline.