EFCO Recognizes Austin Bridge & Road for Outstanding Safety
Loop 12 & IH 30 in Dallas
Austin Bridge & Road has been recognized by Economy Forms Corporation (EFCO) as an outstanding safety award winner. The award was given by EFCO in recognition of Austin’s use of the EFCO plate girder on the IH 30 overpasses at Loop 12 in Dallas, a $42 million project from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The primary focus of the project is the construction of two 1,370-linear-foot bridges for traffic on IH 30 to pass over Loop 12 and two existing railroad tracks operated by the Union Pacific Railroad.
The new bridges are longer, wider and taller than the existing bridges, thus increasing the capacity for IH 30 to handle traffic and setting the stage for future reconstruction of the interchange at Loop 12 and IH 30. “We have been able to progress with the work efficiently and without incident, due in large part to the use of EFCO forms,” said Rob Weber, project manager. The substructure for the new bridges consists of 53 rectangular columns with flared capital sections at the top of each column and variable distances between columns, 14 inverted “T” caps, and four post-tensioned inverted “T” caps. The largest column is 60 feet tall and contains more than 75 cubic yards of concrete. The largest cap is 102.5 feet long, straddles a span between columns of 75.5 feet, and contains more than 190 cubic yards of concrete. Based on this scope of substructure work, Austin Bridge & Road was faced with the challenge of selecting a forming system that was efficient, would support large volumes of concrete over long spans, and would provide the level of safety that Austin demands.
Ultimately, Austin Bridge & Road selected EFCO to supply the forms for the columns and caps on this project based on the familiarity employee-owners had with EFCO systems and the increased safety factor gained by using a forming system engineered to meet the demands of this project. “It is always an honor to be recognized from an outside source for our safety efforts,” said Jim Harbor, safety director. “Austin will continue to use this tool to not only work more efficiently, but to keep people safer.” We also have an opportunity to continue to grow our slip-form wall expertise and capabilities to maximize this business segment market. Our initial efforts last year were successful but there is room for improvement. The quality of our product produced in 2007 was first rate, and in 2008 we will concentrate on improving our production. 2008 has the potential to be another great year, and we all need to continue to work together, stay safe and maximize each opportunity to the fullest.