Bridge Slide Project - White River Junction, Vermont 2015

What is a “Lateral Slide” or “Slide In” Bridge?

A lateral bridge or slide in bridge project is an accelerated method for replacing old bridge infrastructure allowing the flow of traffic with minimal interruption.  The new bridge decks are built on temporary supports adjacent to the existing bridge, then once complete, the old bridging is demolished and the new bridge is “laterally slid” into place and secured with the power of large hydraulic pumps or cranes.

Project Overview

The Vermont Transportation Agency’s (VTrans) Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) program in White River Vermont was a massive orchestration of contractors working in conjunction to demolish and reinstall two single span bridge decks. The VTrans’ scheduled lane closures for this project was a strict 36 hours per direction of travel. During this time, numerous tasks had to be completed including the milling and paving which Pike Industries was responsible.

Project Keys to Success

Because of the tight deadlines, little room for error, and the knowledge base needed for this project, Pike Industries like many of the other contractors on this job was chosen because of our ability to get the job done. Being selected as the preferred asphalt contractor for this project speaks to Pike Industries’ quality of products and most importantly to the talent of people that Pike employs.  

The Pike milling crews worked diligently to safely remove all the asphalt so demolition of the bridge could begin. Milling work was done in five phases with two crews working in unison to keep with the hourly schedule requirements. Paving was done in three phases, with three different paving crews working from Sunday evening into early Monday morning. During two of the phases, two crews worked at opposite ends of the bridge to complete the paving on the new approaches. Even with so many moving parts, odd schedule demands and overall firm deadlines, the Pike crews completed the work with zero accidents and no injuries.

This project was a huge success for everyone involved.  Multiple business lines at Pike Industries worked selflessly to make this project a positive experience for the Contractor and The State of Vermont.  It is a testament to our core values of safety, integrity and quality.

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To watch a time-lapse video of the complete project click here!