Keys to History

Amazingly, most of the bridge-replacement work took place at night so that the daily flow of 70,000 vehicles could continue uninterrupted. The decision to follow this complex timetable -- thought to be the first such plan in the world -- indicates the bridge's importance as a transportation link. American Bridge/Surespan, a joint venture, won the $86.5-million contract to execute this logistical feat. During the work, the bridge was closed daily from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., as well as on a few weekends. Forty-seven deck sections, about 20 m long and weighing 106 t, were progressively installed from north to south. A jacking traveller provided the continuous link on the bridge, besides lifting and lowering the sections. The job took one year, from the night of September 9 to 10, 2000, to the night of September 29 to 30, 2001. Completed without major traffic disruptions, it was hailed as a tremendous engineering success.