photo by Chad Richardson of the Hastings Star Gazette
A major construction feat was recently completed at the Highway 61 bridge project in Hastings, Minnesota when the 545-foot, 6.5 million-pound main bridge span was hoisted into place, 50 feet above the Mississippi river. The main span, the longest free-standing tied-arch in North America, was constructed on the shore of the Mississippi River, about a mile upstream of the river crossing. Placed on massive dollies, the span was rolled onto a set of six barges and floated downstream. Once positioned under the piers, hydraulic jacks on top of the piers slowly lifted the span into place. Around midnight on Sunday, September 23rd, 2012, the lift was complete. By noon of the following day the span was secured in place and the existing bridge was reopened to traffic. A time lapse video of the entire process can be viewed below or on YouTube.
Links to news stories published about the main span lift:
Minneapolis Star Tribune, “New Hastings bridge reaches into the future”
Links to project information:
