MBTA Weekend Railroad Bridge Replacement over Parker Street

Announcements: This portion of the webinar will provide you with the latest happenings related to ABC in the US and abroad to keep you informed. (10 minutes)

:Featured Speaker

Karl Eckstrom, P.E.,

Senior Director – Bridge / Structures Program, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority;

Michael Ryan,

Senior Bridge Project Manager – MBTA;

Bob Penfield, P.E., DBIA, ENV SP,

Managing Director – Highway & Structures,

VHB

Description: The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is one of the largest public transit systems in the country, serving nearly 200 cities and towns and over 1 million daily riders on the subway, bus, ferry, and commuter rail. In 2021, the MBTA, known to many as the T, along with partners VHB and Barletta Heavy Division, replaced five railroad bridges as part of an $8 billion, 5-year capital investment plan – Building a Better T. The MBTA used the design-build contracting method and ABC techniques for these bridge replacements to encourage innovation and cost reduction, while allowing the design-build team to streamline design and construction time. The bridges typically used precast concrete substructure components and leveraged consistent details to simplify design, fabrication, and construction. The bridges were installed using self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs). This presentation highlights the September 2021 replacement of the 90-year-old steel bridge that carries the Haverhill Line over Parker Street in Lawrence. Included are the design challenges, unique ABC aspects for this site, construction coordination efforts, and planning necessary to replace this in-service bridge during a weekend shutdown impacting railroad operations. .

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