Aug 31 2013
Pittsburgh, PA-based L.B. Foster Company has begun delivery of their largest contract for steel grid bridge decking with the rehabilitation of the New York State Bridge Authority's Newburgh-Beacon span.
The fabricator is providing 430,000 sq. ft. of new deck to KiSKA Construction, Inc. for the replacement of the original 1980 roadway on the twin bridges' southern span connecting Orange and Dutchess counties.
L.B. Foster worked closely with engineering consultants, Ammann & Whitney of New York City, to design ready-to-install steel fabricated and precast panels sized for specific roadway placement. "The custom engineered panels are fabricated to exacting specifications to expedite installation and lessen traffic disruption on the busy span," said Don Foster, Senior Vice President, L.B. Foster Construction Products Group. The innovative steel fabrication reinforces precast concrete to form a composite material that improves the strength-to-weight ratio and adds integrity to the structure.
The material is being manufactured at the L.B. Foster Fabricated Bridge Products plant in Bedford, Pennsylvania. The Newburgh-Beacon project has helped to add a substantial production backlog to the facility's manufacturing schedule.
Shipments to the New York jobsite are being staged to minimize traffic closures and accommodate a night work schedule. The 32 year old bridge carries more than 25 million vehicles each year across the Hudson River on Interstate 84 between the cities of Newburgh and Beacon. L.B. Foster has provided steel grid decking for other critical New York City landmark spans, including the Manhattan Bridge and the raised approaches to the famed Brooklyn Bridge.
About L.B. Foster Company
Established in 1902, L.B. Foster Company is a leading manufacturer, fabricator and distributor of products and services for the rail, construction, energy and utility markets with locations in North America and Europe. The Fabricated Bridge Products group of L.B. Foster has been a leading provider of structural steel, bridge decking and railing for the construction and rehabilitation of bridges, highways and buildings for more than 40 years.