Weathering the Mack Hatcher Parkway Project

摘要

A 3.1-mile highway extension on the Mack Hatcher Parkway in Franklin, Tenn., is under construction. Unique to this project is a bridge approximately 2,900 ft long crossing the Harpeth River and its associated floodway. "To optimize the crossing over the river portions of the bridge, we're using weathering steel," says Tony Montiel, construction engineering and inspection (CEI) manager for Volkert. "Weathering steel contains a certain amount of surface corrosion for protection, eliminating the need for paint, and it's also more cost effective than concrete because we're dealing with longer spans due to the double river crossings. By using steel, we don't have to place piers in the water, which could be an environmental issue during construction."