Alright…so I’m one of those nerds who watches those “Extreme Engineering” and “Megastructures” shows on the Discovery Channel. Too much fun with Legos as a kid I guess. One of the fun parts of my relatively slow pedestrian commute to work is that I get to take a few more seconds to check out our own version of those TV shows going on Downtown.
With the recent delivery of a couple arch pieces and a second crane for the Main St. Bridge, it appears that things will start getting interesting in the next week or two.
I’m guessing that the cranes will work in concert, with one supporting the bolted on arch pieces, while the other grabs the next section. The first piece should bolt up with the concrete pedestal on the left half of the picture. Those two steel supports on the right half (one is obscured by the crane) will likely just support the arch until the tension is added.
Here’s a picture I took this Saturday before the second crane showed up. You can also check out the WEBCAM for the most recent progress.
hey, just wanted to mention that i am one of the many steelworkers at PDM bridge in Eau Claire , WI that had a part in the fabrication of the north floorbeams on this bridge.