George P. Coleman Bridge Replacement

Frederic R. Harris, Inc. performed the computer modeling and design of the marine transport system utilized for the twin swing-span truss replacement of the George P. Coleman Bridge across the York River in Yorktown, Virginia. The contractor for the project. Tidewater Construction Corporation, was under a strict schedule for the span replacement procedure. Tidewater would incur an $8,000 per hour penalty for any time beyond an allotted 24-day construction period that the bridge was out of service. Harris designed a support system and erection that enabled the contractor to float six prefabricated bridge sections 64 km upstream on barges from the fabrication yard and into place. A similar transport system was used to remove and demolish the existing spans. The system worked flawlessly, enabling Tidewater to perform the entire operation in just nine days, earning a $1.4 million early completion bonus.