41st Street Bridge Reconstruction over the Big Sioux River
The City of Sioux Falls will be reconstructing the existing 41st Street bridge beginning in March, 2010. This project is part of the
Sioux Falls Flood Control Project and is required in order to raise the levee system.
Due to the complexity of replacing a bridge on South Dakota’s busiest street, a Bridge Replacement Study was completed to determine the most efficient way to undertake the project. The study considered traffic flow, bridge construction methods, bridge materials, and various bid/contract methods to expedite construction and reduce the impact to motorists and businesses. A summary of the study’s recommendations are as follows:
- Complete intersection improvements in 2009 along the proposed alternate route to decrease the amount of delay motorists may have in 2010.
- Complete a water main relocation across the Big Sioux River in 2010.
- Complete private utility relocations in 2009.
- Reconstruct the bridge in phases as opposed to completely closing the road. The bridge will essentially be built in halves as four lanes of traffic are maintained during construction.
- Utilize accelerated construction methods including “H-pile” piers, cast-in-place concrete abutments, and precast concrete box girders.
- A+B contracting method with significant incentives completing the project early and disincentives for failing to complete the project on time.
The project team is incorporating an extensive public outreach effort which includes meetings with private business owners, hosting public informational meetings, establishing an informational website, using “social media” such as Twitter or Facebook to relay information to interested parties, offering a “project hotline” phone number for citizens to report concerns or request information, offer business discount cards at public meeting to support affected businesses, installing webcams to allow the public to view live construction video, constructing a pedestrian viewing area near the construction site, hosting regular information segments on Channel 16, and publishing weekly newsletters during construction.
Project milestones are as follows:
- Award contract to Cramer and Associates, Inc. of Grimes, Iowa
December, 2009
- Business Owner Open House
5-7 pm, January 21, 2010, O’Gorman Jr. High Board Room
- Public Open House
February, 2010
- Begin construction of Phase 1
March, 2010
- Begin construction of Phase 2
June, 2010
- Substantially complete construction
August, 2010
If you have questions or concerns regarding this project, please contact a member of the project team listed below:
