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Between 2011 and 2017, multiple sections of U.S. Highway 12 near Baraboo, WI underwent major reconstruction that expanded the roadway and added bridges to meet the demands of increased traffic. U.S. 12 acts as a vital bypass for the busy vacation destination, including locations such as Devil’s Lake and Mirror Lake State Parks, and Wisconsin Dells. Now, this area also boasts having Wisconsin’s tallest bridges.
Spanning over the Baraboo River, two new 160-foot-tall concrete prestress bridges were constructed along U.S. 12, making them the tallest bridges in Wisconsin. One bridge is dedicated for eastbound traffic while the other for westbound traffic. Each bridge spans across four concrete pylons high above the Baraboo River and are supported by a total of 80 prestress concrete girders manufactured by County Materials Corporation. Girders for this bridge range in size from 140 feet long and 140,000 lbs. to 160 feet long and 162,000 lbs.
Lunda Construction chose Dawes Rigging & Crane Rental to lift the prestress girders into place. In May 2016, County Materials began delivering girders to the site. Crews were given only two months to set 80 girders which were a challenge due to the area’s high winds. Crews worked closely with County Materials to schedule deliveries to ensure efficient delivery and installation, resulting in an impressive rate of setting eight girders per day. Because of this exceptional coordination, in addition to girder’s arriving onsite ready to install, crews finished far ahead schedule, setting all 80 girders in just over one month. |