Renderings of the new Shands Bridge

[thelakelander]

^You don't have to leave the state. FDOT has some pretty "cool" projects popping up across Florida.

[Redbaron616]

Here's a thought: Build a bridge designed to not only last 100 years, but also design it so that it can be reasonably expanded versus building a new one alongside it.

[spuwho]

For those who might be interested, listed below is a bridge type selection guide that was put together for the new I-265 bridge over the Ohio River (East End Bridge). I am not saying the Shands should look like this, but there are rational guides to how bridge types can be designed. The example here was $221 Million.

http://kyinbridges.com/library/bridge-type-selection/

The choice made was a Diamond Tower/Cable Stayed Approach.



It will have full pedestrian access.



They are looking at a "dim" LED lighting approach, so that it doesn't look like an airport runway with the associated light pollution, yet adds elegance to the riverfront.



Here is the current state.

[tufsu1]

^ keep in mind the Shands Bridge is likely 3-4 time longer than the Ohio River bridge. So the $220 million price tag would be well over $500 million here.

[spuwho]

^ keep in mind the Shands Bridge is likely 3-4 time longer than the Ohio River bridge. So the $220 million price tag would be well over $500 million here.

This particular approach wouldnt work as well because the main channel for the St Johns River here is not centered like it is on the Ohio River.

But looking at the bridge selection guide certainly provides some opportunities.

[spuwho]

I was reading up on another example of some new bridges coming up on the horizon and it reminded me of the Shands discussion.

The Illinois-Iowa Memorial Bridge (I-74) over the Mississippi is slated to be replaced. FDOT ruled it as one of the worse condition bridges in the US. Unique in being a "dual" suspension layout because the original was built in 1935, and a second span was built in 1959 of the exact same design by famed bridge designer Ralph Modjeski.

1935


Today


The replacement spans, designed by Modjeski's (Modjeski & Masters) firm, will cost roughly $850 million (for 2 spans) with a total project cost of over $1B when considering approach engineering, etc.





While this is very expensive to build, the offset channel of the St Johns at the Shands crossing makes it tough for this design to work.

Another bridge I observed was the Kit Bond Bridge over the Missouri north of Kansas City.



This design may be more applicable to a Shands as it requires the same kind of precast structured approaches, and you can maintain a single tower for the cable stays over the main channel of the St Johns.

Another thought was something inline with the Clark Bridge over the Mississippi, with a single post for the cables, and a shallow cable draw, it can be arranged over the channel much more easily.

[southsider1015]

I'd be interested in the costs of those suspension bridges.  Because they ain't cheap.