The new 504-foot bridge is a feat of engineering. It has 323 sensors embedded in the concrete that constantly monitor bridge behavior, and the gateway sculptures at each end of the bridge use TX Active, a new kind of cement that creates a photocatalytic reaction to remove pollution. Nighttime bridge lighting is provided by LEDs, which require less maintenance and consume less energy; they are the first of their kind on any US bridge. The real-time monitoring, LED lighting, and self-cleaning concrete will provide valuable data for future bridge constructions. Designed by Florida-based FIGG, the bridge opened on September 18 with ten lanes of traffic, but can support up to 14 lanes. It’s future-proof in that it can also support a light-rail line and a high-occupancy vehicle lane. “The new I-35W bridge was designed with the future in mind,” says Linda Figg, the president, CEO, and director of bridge art at FIGG. “Multiple levels of redundancy and high-performance materials will ensure a safe, durable structure for over 100 years.” Contracting company Flatiron-Manson built the bridge in just 337 days — most bridge projects take at least twice that long. To complete the construction in record time, FIGG designers planned two construction methods concurrently: a pre-cast segmental construction and a cast-in-place method. During winter months, the company built warming houses within which to construct 120 box girder segments.
