PERSPECTIVES ON FUTURE HIGHWAY BRIDGE DESIGN: CROSSING INTO A NEW AGE

Cost savings, life-cycle costs, aesthetics, and material improvements will make segmental concrete the future choice for long span cable-stayed bridges. The completion of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa, Florida, in 1987 demonstrated that a community can have an economical signature bridge reflecting that community's vision, and this trend will continue. Innovative financing will be the primary means of accomplishing large bridge projects in the future. The 5.87-km Mid-Bay Bridge in West Florida was completed in 1993 as a toll bridge, with $81 million in revenue bonds covering all costs. There was no federal money involved in the project, and state and county loan money was paid back from the bond issue. Bridge owners concerned about life-cycle costs will demand manuals showing maintenance inspections and rehabilitation designed to extend the lives of bridges. High performance concrete and structural lightweight concrete will continue to improve segmental concrete cable-stayed bridges. Bridge aesthetics and costs are and will continue to be dominant factors. The need to balance these factors will keep bridge engineering firms looking for new materials as well as improving existing materials.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07386826
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Figg Jr, E C
• Publication Date: 1998-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 29
• Serial:
  • TR News
  • Issue Number: 194
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0738-6826

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aesthetics; Bridge design; Bridges; Cable stayed bridges; Costs; Financing; High performance concrete; Highway bridges; Innovation; Life cycle costing; Lightweight concrete; Long span bridges; Maintenance; Segmental construction; Structural design; Toll bridges
• Uncontrolled Terms: Bridge maintenance
• Old TRIS Terms: Future concepts
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Finance; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00746764
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Mar 20 2001 12:00AM