Fall 2021 was a busy time for bridge construction throughout New England. In that time, construction of a new concrete bridge deck was completed on the Bayview Street Bridge in Yarmouth, Maine. The bridge deck replacement project was designed and advertised by Hoyle Tanner and the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) in November 2020. Construction both began and was completed by CPM Constructors in 2021.
The Bayview Street Bridge is a 4-span bridge passing over I-295 and was constructed in 1962. The bridge is the only access to the Yarmouth peninsula that has approximately 270 residential homes, a working boat yard, and the town landing and boat launch. Bayview Street Bridge had two 10’-6” lanes, 1’-6” shoulders and two 2’-6” sidewalks. The steel girders and substructure were able to remain, but it was determined that the concrete deck was in poor condition and needed replacement.
Hoyle Tanner and MaineDOT held several public meetings and meetings with a bridge advisory group that consisted of select local citizens and town officials. The group met to discuss alternatives, as well as to understand the needs of the community. Several design aspects were identified through these meetings and were incorporated into the final design.
The replacement bridge deck was widened by 2’-4” which allowed for two 10’-6” lanes, 1’-6” shoulders and a 6’-0” sidewalk with curb and rails that meet current standards. The bridge joints were replaced, and the abutment was rehabilitated with a new backwall and modified return wings that allowed for a wider structure. Hoyle Tanner designed the replacement deck utilizing glass reinforced fiber and stainless steel reinforcement to increase the service life to the new concrete deck. One of the main concerns with the existing structure was the narrow sidewalks and low bridge rails that made pedestrians feel uneasy. To accommodate for pedestrian use, the new structure incorporated a widened sidewalk, a reduced brush curb height, ADA-compliant sidewalk and tip-downs, a taller pedestrian bridge rail with extended snow fence, and increased sight distances. To accommodate for bicycle use, a four-bar bicycle rail was installed, bicycle friendly drainage grates were used, and shared-lane bike chevron was painted along the approaches.
Construction required the bridge deck to be replaced in two stages, while maintaining one lane of alternating traffic that was controlled by temporary traffic signals. Maintaining pedestrian and bicycle traffic was a challenge due to the limited width available and the structure being the only crossing to the peninsula. MaineDOT and CPM Constructors collaborated throughout construction to install, maintain and monitor temporary markers, pedestrian flags and signage to help maintain vehicle and pedestrian traffic during the duration of construction. Even with the challenges of covid delays and material supply chain issues, the bridge deck replacement project was completed on time.
