October 22, 2020 1:00 pm
Jose Mares, P.E., Director of Bridge Engineering, BNSF Railway; Temple Overman, P.E., Bridge Project Engineer, HNTB Corporation; and Tyler Schulke, Deputy Project Manager, Ames Construction
Winner of Best ABC Project Award in the Emergency Category at the 2019 International ABC Conference!
Webinar Recording
Webinar Documents:
2019 Emergency Partial Reconstruction of Nebraska BNSF Bridge 0.95 - pdf of presentation
News - October 22, 2020 - pdf of presentation
Description: On March 17, 2019, record flooding on the Platte River near Bellevue, Nebraska, washed away 215 feet of BNSF Bridge 0.95 on the Napier subdivision, disrupting service to freight trains and Amtrak passenger rail. By using precast concrete spans and capbeams, and steel spans stockpiled for emergency use, the replacement section of the bridge was quickly assembled. BNSF coordinated material shipment, HNTB completed the design and plans, and Ames Construction began around-the-clock construction. As a result of continual collaboration and the application of key ABC principles, the bridge reopened on April 15, 2019, less than a month after the catastrophic flood. The presentation describes the planning, design and construction details, and lessons learned that resulted in this successful ABC emergency project.
Presentation Photos/Graphics:
1) BNSF and UPRR bridges crossing the flooded Platte River near Bellevue, Nebraska on March 17, 2019
2) Damaged BNSF Br. 0.95 spans adjacent to the rock causeway
3) Ames Construction completed erecting two deck plate girder spans and two precast concrete spans to replace the washed-out sections of Br. 0.95 on April 11, 2019
4) Amtrak passenger rail service returned in service on April 15, 2019