LAS VEGAS – On Tuesday, Jan. 10, the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) and its partners will conduct the first bridge slide in state history. The bridge move is part of the I-15 West Mesquite Interchange Project, which is designed to improve connectivity on this stretch of the interstate.
The project features accelerated bridge construction (ABC), a technology used to speed the process of replacing old bridges. ABC shaves six months off the normal construction time for a bridge. The bridge slide is expected to save Mesquite residents and commuters $12.7 million in time and fuel costs.
As part of the project, new I-15 bridges are being built on temporary foundations adjacent to the current bridges. Each existing bridge will be demolished, and the new bridges will be slid into place overnight using hydraulic jacks, Teflon rails and liquid dish soap (for lubrication).
The entire process (including demolition) will take 56 hours for each bridge, during which time I-15 traffic will be diverted via on- and off-ramps. By using ABC technology, I-15 traffic will be able to flow in both directions throughout the project, greatly reducing any traffic delays.
In addition to the reconstructed bridges, the project will include reconfiguring the diamond configuration of the I-15 Interchange 120 in West Mesquite into roundabout format, improving on- and off-ramps and widening Falcon Ridge to increase access, safety, and traffic flow.
NDOT, the Southern Nevada Regional Transportation Commission, City of Mesquite and the Design-Build team of W.W. Clyde and Horrocks Engineers worked together on this project. The project has attracted the attention of transportation engineers and officials from around the country.
Among the dignitaries scheduled to attend are Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez and NDOT Director Susan Martinovich, along with officials from Mesquite, the FHWA and other agencies. NDOT and the Design-Build team invite the media to join us in Mesquite on Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. to watch the bridge move.
This event will be open to the public. Guests can also view it live from our reserved viewing site just west of the Falcon Ridge Parkway and I-15 intersection. Those unable to attend can view the live footage by logging on to http://apps.nevadadot.com/cameras/mesquite-camera.asp. Those interested in more information about Nevada’s premier bridge slide can log on to www.bridgingnevadasfuture.com.
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