Akron Metro Bridge 438, View From Track, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH
The accelerated replacement of the Valley Railway Bridge over Sand Run Creek.
The existing structure identified as Bridge No. 430 over Little Cuyahoga River consists of two 26.7 foot long steel beam bridge with timber decking. It was owned by Akron METRO RTA with freight operations run by Wheeling and Lake Erie. The bridge was structurally deficient based on severe section loss to the bottom 4” of the steel beam webs. Additional issues include moderate to severe corrosion on the bearings, deterioration of the masonry abutment and undermining of the northwest wingwall due to scour.
Bergmann designed the repair of the substructure, replacement of the superstructure and adjusted the rail profile. A survey and in depth inspection was conducted to determine the extent of the repairs and develop a design to retrofit the existing substructure with new bridge seats to accommodate the new superstructure. The channel was rip-rap lined to stabilize any scour and embankment erosion.
