The Bridge Before the Bridge

Sometimes, a bridge replacement project is so big that the first step is to … build a temporary bridge to aid in its construction. That is what is happening now in Bossier and Caddo Parishes in Louisiana. It’s in preparation for the replacement and rehabilitation of the Jimmie Davis Bridge over the Red River. James Construction Group has constructed a massive, 2,500-foot-long temporary trestle alongside the eventual route of the new, permanent bridge.

Helping to build this temporary trestle were two Link-Belt 248HSL lattice boom crawler cranes supplied by ALL Crane Rental of Louisiana, a member of the ALL Family of Companies. 

“The trestle bridges will be used to span large gaps and move equipment out over the water during construction of the new four-lane Jimmie Davis Bridge,” said Micah Murchie, sales representative with ALL Crane Rental of Louisiana.

The trestle is strong enough to support cranes and other heavy equipment that will be needed during construction. Once the permanent bridge has been completed, the trestle will be disassembled, the parts stored, and it will be used again on a future project.

This is the largest temporary trestle that Dale Willis, area manager for James Construction Company, has worked on, though he knows of larger ones done by his company.

The two Link-Belt 248HSL crawlers both did double-duty during trestle construction. They drove piles for bridge supports and also lifted and set steel components to assemble trestle spans.

Piles were placed every 40 feet, with 250 total piles driven. “With their 200-ton capacity, the Link-Belt 248 crawlers were perfect for this job because we needed something capable of handling 50,000 pounds at a 55-foot radius,” said Willis. That is the approximate weight of the hammer needed to drive 24-inch piles. 

These same cranes then picked and set prefabricated bridge sections weighing 40,000 pounds each. Each span had eight sections, and the completed bridge comprised 64 total spans. One crane started on the east side of the Red River in Bossier City, Louisiana, with the other on the west side in Shreveport. Both were configured with 205 feet of main boom.

The trestle bridge construction employed the end-on construction process. The crane is set up atop the previously completed span as it constructs the next span in the sequence. From a distance, it looks like a crane sitting at the very edge of an incomplete bridge. “We start at the edge of the embankment and build the first span, walk the crane out on it, and keep working over the water,” said Willis.

The new four-lane Jimmie Davis Bridge, a $360 million project, is expected to be open to traffic in 2028.

About ALL

The ALL Family of Companies is the largest privately held crane rental and sales operation in North America, operating under the ALL, ALT, Central, Dawes, and Jeffers names. For a rental quote: 800-232-4100 or www.allcrane.com.