Fort Buhlow Bridges and Approaches Project Update
February 2012

Completed Work

Crews have completed driving 16-inch piles in Bent No. 22. The subcontractor has been updating and restoring temporary erosion control devices after a heavy rain. Jensen Construction Co. loosened the bolts on the splices for the steel girders on Span No. 6 adjusted them, and then re-tightened the bolts, as per instructions from AFCO (steel manufacturer).

Crews have installed 6 girders and drove 24 of 14-inch piles. Crews have completed 48.21 cubic yards in cap and 16 cubic yards of concrete columns and placed 13,201 pounds of rebar steel. 29.8% of the project is completed. The project is still scheduled for completion in January 2014.

Ongoing Work

Crews continue to pour footings, columns and caps. Concrete finishers are working on forming up columns and caps on the Pineville side. Crews work continuously to drive sheet piles for the cofferdam at Pier No. 15 and push sand to fill in a portion of the lake for the frontage road embankment, adjacent to the 4-laned US 165/71.

Crews continue to work on emptying the cofferdam at Pier No. 14 (Alexandria side) and recently a diver was in the cofferdam repairing breaks or openings in the sheet piles. Once breaks are identified grout is used to seal off any leaks.

Other recent activities include:

• Installing girders.

• Driving 14-inch & 16-inch piles on Pineville side.

• Driving piles at Bent No. 1

• Installing panels and backfilling on the retaining walls.

For questions about the project, contact DOTD’s Customer Service Center at 1-877-4LA-DOTD (1-877-452-3683) or by e-mail at dotdcs@la.gov. The center is open 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Learn more about the project by visiting the project’s Web page at www.dotd.la.gov. Click on “Projects” from the “Programs & Projects” section of the main menu on the left-hand side of the page select the Fort Buhlow Bridge Project link. You can also follow the Fort Buhlow Bridge Replacement Project on Facebook.