Current Status: 28% complete.
The majority of work within the river continues to be staged from two working barges that are in place to support heavy construction activities.
Concrete has been placed in many of the substructure elements including the northeast retaining wall, the northerly abutment wall, and portions of several of the piers.
The installation of the drilled shafts at pier 3 is ongoing, as is utility relocation work on the Groveland side of the project along Main Street.
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Reinforcing steel for the top portion of pier #4. |
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Reinforcing steel being placed within the lower portion of cofferdam #2 |
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August 2011:
A concrete underwater seal (called a tremie seal) is completed at pier #2. The cofferdam for pier #4 continues to be drained of water, and installation of drilled shafts for a substructure at pier #3 continues as well.
A concrete underwater seal (called a tremie seal) is completed at pier #2. The cofferdam for pier #4 continues to be drained of water, and installation of drilled shafts for a substructure at pier #3 continues as well.
In the area of the new south abutment crews are continuing excavation work. On the Groveland side, utility relocation work continues along Main Street.
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| Dewatering activities at pier #4 |
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Concrete placement for tremie (underwater) seal at pier #2. |
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June 2011:
As most of you can see from all the cranes and heavy equipment, construction is going quickly, with most of the work being done from working barges on the downriver side of the Merrimack. On the Groveland side, utility relocation work continues along Main Street.
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May 2011:
Crews working on barges set up within the river have finished the excavation of all four cofferdams for the new pier locations. As you may recall from our last update, Cianbro has implemented a new traffic management setup to facilitate roadway construction on the Groveland side. This phase also creates a work zone for the contractor to start work on the new southerly bridge abutment.
Pile installation in the area of the north abutment and the northeast retaining wall on the Haverhill side of the river has again commenced, after being on hold due to weather conditions from the winter. On the Groveland side, utility relocation work continues along Main Street.
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| Drilled shaft installation within the cofferdam for pier #3. |
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| Traffic management components associated with Stage 2 construction on the Groveland side. |
April 2011:
Crews working on barges set up within the river have finished installing the cofferdams for the new pier locations. With excavation work finished at cofferdams 1, 2, and 3, excavation work for cofferdam 4 is well underway. Also completed is the frame that will be used for placement of the drilled shaft at cofferdam 3.
Although it’s warmer than it was in February, pile installation in the area of the north abutment and the northeast retaining wall on the Haverhill side of the river remains suspended due to difficult soil conditions. On the Groveland side, utility relocation work continues along Main Street.
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Frame for Drilled Shaft completed at cofferdam #3 |
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River sediments excavated from cofferdam #4 being loaded onto material barge. |
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March 2011:
Cianbro’s crews on the barges have completed the installation of the cofferdams for all four piers, with the excavation of cofferdam #3 complete. The contractor continues with the installation of the frame that will be used in conjunction with the construction of the drilled shaft at this location. Crews are also excavating material from cofferdam #1.
The pile installation for the new northerly abutment and the northeast retaining wall on the Haverhill side of the river was suspended for much of the February because of frozen soil. (With warming temperatures, this won’t be a problem much longer!)
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Framing being installed at cofferdam #3 for use in the installation of the drilled shaft that will support the new pier at this location. |
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River sediment excavated from within cofferdam #1 being loaded onto a material barge. |
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February 2011:
Two working barges have been assembled and moved into place for heavy construction activities. Working from these barges, crews have finished installing the cofferdams for piers 1, 3 and 4 and continue to install cofferdam 2. Excavation has begun at Cofferdam 3.
The contractor continues installing piles for the north abutment and the northeast retaining wall on the Haverhill
The majority of the overhead and underground utility relocations on the Haverhill
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Material being excavated from within cofferdam #3. The work is associated with the construction of the foundation for one of the new bridge piers. |
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Excavated river sediment from cofferdam #3 being loaded onto material barge. |
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January 2011:
Crews on the two barges in the river finished installing cofferdams for where piers 3 and 4 of the new bridge will be located. They are currently working on the cofferdam for pier 1, and Ciabro has also started installing piling for a retaing wall on the Haverhill side.
With almost all overhead and underground utility relocations completed on the Haverhill side along Groveland Street, Old Ferry Road and Orchard Avenue, this work continues on the Groveland side along Main Street.
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Installed H piles associated with the construction of a retaining wall on the Haverhill side. |
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Pipe piles being installed as part of the construction of the new northerly abutment. |
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December 2010:
So far, so good. We’re 3% done on the Bates Bridge project.
Cianbro removed the abandoned underwater cable in the Merrimack and utility relocations on the Haverhill side are almost completed. (Utility relocation work continues on the Groveland side along Main Street.)
In the water, you will now see two working barges, which have been moved into place for heavy construction activities. Crews are installing cofferdams for piers 3 and 4 of the new bridge from these barges. As mentioned in the November 2010 update (see below), Cianbro has already completed installation of the cofferdam for construction of the northwest corner of the bridge.
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Working barge installing steel sheeting to create a cofferdam for construction of one of the new bridge piers. |
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Working barges and cranes being used to support cofferdam construction for the new bridge piers. |
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November 2010: Verizon is currently relocating overhead wires and installing new poles on the Groveland side along Main Street. Contractor Cianbro continues to install sheeting in the northwest corner of the bridge. When that is completed, the new northerly abutment will be constructed.
The often-discussed abandoned under-water cable was located by dive teams and MassDOT, National Grid, and Cianbro have developed a plan for its removal. The tentative removal date is set for next week.
Cianbro is also mobilizing and assembling the barges and cranes that will be used to install cofferdams within the river. Cofferdams will be installed as soon as the abandoned cable is removed.
Finally, many of you may have seen the sign indicating that prime commerical condos are to be built next to the Post Office building. There's no need to worry yet: no plans have been submitted and the town continues to try to buy the site.
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A portion of the work being off loaded for placement in the river. The barge will provide support for the installation of cofferdams. |
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A portion of the work barge being placed within the river prior to being moved into position. |
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| Plans for any condo construction have yet to be submitted to Groveland Town Hall. |
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| Materials to be used for the cofferdams' construction. |
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| Cianbro crane and sheeting for cofferdam construction. |
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October 2010: The installation of a new water main on the Haverhill side of the bridge has been completed by Cianbro (the contractor). Also on the Haverhill side, Cianbro has begun installing driven sheeting. This is to provide support for the existing roadway when excavation begins for the north abutment of the new bridge. National Grid's abandoned underwater cable was found; MassDOT and National Grid are in the process of planning a removal strategy.
Road Closings: Coffin Avenue remains closed in accordance with Stage 2 of the traffic management plan (see below, September 2010 update).
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| Installation of driven sheeting for support of upcoming excavation in the northwest corner of the existing bridge on the Haverhill side. |
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September 2010:
As we posted earlier, Stage 1A and 1B had two roads closed. Those roads are back open. Stage 2 incorporates Stage 1C, which won't have to be done as it's own stage. Below are the traffic management plans for Stage 2 and Stage 1C. During Stage 2 (which will last until Spring 2011) a portion of Coffin Avenue will be closed to focus on constructing the parking area for the abutters/boaters and removing the existing pavement on the section of Coffin Avenue from Groveland Street to Old Ferry Road. Groveland Street will remain open.
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| MassDOT's traffic management plan: Stage 2. In effect until Spring 2011. |
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| MassDOT's traffic management plan: Stage 1C which has been incorporated into Stage 2. |
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For those of you who are unable to visit Groveland Town Hall or Haverhill City Hall to view the bridge plans during regular business, copies of the plans can be seen here. To see them in their original (and very large!) size, please stop by either Groveland Town Hall or Haverhill City Hall.
For those of you who are unable to visit Groveland Town Hall or Haverhill City Hall to view the bridge plans during regular business, copies of the plans can be seen here. To see them in their original (and very large!) size, please stop by either Groveland Town Hall or Haverhill City Hall.
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| Bridge profile of Elevations - Spans 1 and 2 (lower image) |
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| Bridge profile of Elevations - Spans 4 and 5 (lower image) |
