RIAC Upcoming Dates for Removal/Float-in of Merchants Railroad Bridge, Mile 183.2 UMR

RIAC Upcoming Dates for Removal/Float-in of Merchants Railroad Bridge, Mile 183.2 UMR

As info...

Activity next week
Except for a few hours on Tuesday, this is not the channel span, it is the span that accesses the old chain

Bernie Heroff

Below is the anticipated dates and times for the removal/float-in of the Missouri span for the Merchant’s Railroad Bridge:

• August 23^rd, (Tuesday)
  • River Coordination: 3 to 4 hour closure of the primary and secondary channels to move the new truss span from the mooring area on the right descending bank to the left descending bank and rotate it 180 degrees in the calmer waters near the Illinois Bank. We can discuss this with the lock operator.
• August 24^th (Wednesday):
  • Track Closure:  Close Track at 6 AM, starts 10-Day Closure
  • River: No closures required
• August 25^th (Thursday):
  • Track Closure:  All Day
  • River Closure:
    • 6  AM, first 24 hour Mississippi River MO bank Channel closure at the right descending channel between Piers 3 and 4 for the existing truss span removal.  After landing span on barges, we’ll moor the old span on the right descending bank about 2000 ft downstream of the bridge where we built the new trusses.
    • Day Time: 10 hour closure of the secondary channel between piers 2 and 3 to aid in positioning the truss and equipment
• August 26^th to August 28^th (Friday to Sunday):
  • Track Closure: All Day
  • River Coordination:  Dependent upon River elevation, no river closures needed.  Request restriction of Navigation in the right descending channel due to construction activities.  See note after this schedule.
• August 29^th (Monday)
  • Track Closures: All Day
  • River Closure:
    • 6  AM, second 24-Hour MO Channel Closure of the Right Descending Channel for the truss float-in.
    • Between 6AM and 8 AM, We’ll need  an hour to move the new truss span from the left descending bank (IL) to right descending channel.  We’ll coordinate this with the lock operator.
    • Day Time: 10 hour closure of the secondary channel between piers 2 and 3 to aid in positioning the truss and equipment
• August 30^th to September 2^nd, (Tuesday to Friday):
  • Final Days of Track Closure
  • No river restrictions anticipated.

Due to uncertainty of the river elevations during these events, Walsh may modify the date of the second river channel closure to occur on Saturday, August 27^th.  Forecasted River Elevations below St. Louis Pool Gage 1.0 ft may influence the decision to accelerate the date for installing the span.

Should you have questions please advise.

Thank you,

David Orzechowski
Coast Guard Bridge Branch
St. Louis, MO  63103
314.269.2382