Roadway & Road Repair Projects
Fairbanks Mill has considerable experience in bridge construction, rehabilitation and repair, including the development of several innovative techniques. These include precast concrete structures, prefabricated steel / timber decks, plastic liners for deteriorated culverts, and lightweight steel sheeting for footing protection.
Box Culvert – Newark Street Culvert
From the very beginning, this project was designed and built so as to limit the road closure time on this busy rural road where extended long alternative routing would be a significant burden on town residents. By utilizing a pre-cast concrete box design and compressing all of the demolition, excavation, and construction activities into very tight timeframe, this project was reopened to traffic in only 36 hours.
Precast Concrete – Sutton Bridge #14
Fairbanks Mill installed this precast concrete arch bridge as a replacement for an old double pipe culvert. The project required a deep excavation to allow installation of the cast in place concrete footings. Once the footings were in and the channel profile was restored, the actual installation of the precast sections only took a day. For the right site, these precast concrete arch bridges represent a quick, cost effective solution. An additional benefit, when compared to pipe culverts, is that the entire length of the streambed through the structure is available as habitat to support fish and other aquatic life.
Footing Repair – Concord Avenue Bridge
Several large granite blocks slid out of position at the base of this bridge abutment, creating a large void hidden under eight feet of water. Repairs consisted of installation of a reinforced concrete wall, well pinned to the existing granite and to the ledge. Using divers, steel sheeting was scribed to the contours of the rock and attached securely to the granite. As concrete was poured into the formwork, displaced water was pumped to the sewer system for treatment. The steel sheeting was left in place to provide additional protection against floods and ice.
Steel Beam Bridge – Politi Bridge
This bridge replacement project is typical of several performed by Fairbanks Mill, Inc. over the past few years. Failed abutments were replaced with “perched” concrete footing pads that are located higher and further from the stream than the old abutments. The revised channel, lined with ledge rip-rap, is hydraulically similar to the natural streambed. The superstructure consists of steel beams with a pressure treated timber deck and standard highway guardrails. This innovative design is very cost effective for private bridges and for low traffic municipal projects.