The Kishacoquillas Creek Bridge Replacement was recognized with a Project of the Year Award by the American Society of Highway Engineers Clearfield Section.
KCI was the winner of the Under $20 Million category for the services performed on this historic structure in the Borough of Lewistown.
Built in 1921, the concrete closed spandrel arch bridge carrying South Main Street, also known as SR 3001-A01, over Kishacoquillas Creek was suffering from ongoing deterioration. PennDOT Engineering District 2-0 partnered with KCI to design a replacement structure, and the engineering team overcame numerous challenges while iterating toward a new bridge configuration. The tight urban environment included two nearby commercial buildings in the northern quadrants, the Kish Riverwalk/Trail in the southeast quadrant, and numerous utilities, which limited the space available for required relocations and new drainage pipes. Three remnant underground storage tanks located in front of the commercial building in the northwest quadrant required investigation and a remediation plan.
Existing plans were not available for the bridge foundations and adjacent stone masonry wingwalls that were nearly 30 feet high on the north side of the creek. Engineers were concerned with the stability of the latter prior to and during construction. The team considered traditional and innovative alternatives while evaluating constructability and estimated cost. The selected approach increased the span length such that an integral abutment and wingwalls could be constructed behind the existing units on the north side. While this alternative required acquisition of the commercial property in the northeast quadrant, the total project cost, including estimated construction, right-of-way, and future maintenance costs, was less than other alternatives.
