U.S. Highway 45 and State Highway 167 Reconstruction

R.A. Smith lifts bridge in interchange reconstruction

By Brendan O'Brien

Thousands of suburban commuters take advantage of the expert engineering work of R.A. Smith & Associates Inc. every day without knowing it.

The firm was instrumental in reconstructing the quarter-mile stretch known as the Highway 167 and 41/45 Interchange in Germantown between October 2002 and November 2003.

"This was an important project as far as maintaining safety and traffic flow in that area," said Matt Grove, R.A. Smith's construction transportation manager and spokesperson for the project. "Our staff was well adjusted to and definitely well qualified to undertake this project."

Under the guidance of the firm's construction management staff, the project included raising and widening two existing bridges and building a third. Traffic signals were also added at the interchange along with a Freeway Traffic Management System to calculate traffic density and monitor traffic flows. The roadway was also widened to make room for left-turn lanes.

"The structure was widened toward the inside to allow for more volume," said Grove. "This was a little different than the standard project. We will widen (a road), but to the outside."

The most significant change to the roadway was the elevation of the bridges, which were raised two feet. Crews removed the existing decking and added six new girders. Fifteen, 55-ton hydraulic jacks propped up the girders while the substructure was rebuilt. The beams were then raised and concrete was poured underneath the raised girders.

"Essentially the girders were lifted up to create more clearance for Highway 41 underneath," Grove said. "From that point, it was redecking the structure and widening it."

All of this was done with a goal of limiting traffic interruptions. To achieve that goal, R.A. Smith ran the project's construction through phases — including nightshifts — to lessen the impact on traffic. Project planning and scheduling grew even more complicated when Harley-Davidson motorcycles began streaming into the region for Harley's anniversary weekend. The bridge project was right on the Harley tour route.

	Project Name: U.S. Highway 45 and State Highway 167 Reconstruction Location: Germantown Submitting Company: R.A. Smith & Associates Inc., Brookfield General Contractor/Construction Manager: James Cape & Sons Co., Racine Architect: Wisconsin Department of Transportation Engineer: R.A. Smith & Associates Inc. Owner: Wisconsin Department of Transportation Project Cost: $3.5 million Start Date: October 2002 Completion Date: November 2003

"An important goal of the project was to maintain traffic during construction along Highway 41 and Lannon Road (Highway 167)," Grove said. "It certainly adds to the challenge when you have to build in phases. Obviously, it is very important to maintain traffic for the public."

High-voltage power lines near the construction site also posed safety concerns, and project managers needed full cooperation with local utility officials during the project.

"It's something that we deal with quite often, and, obviously, it's a safety issue," Grove said. "It does make for more difficult construction, and it's something that needs to be dealt with."