Reprint from the Progress Times - February 15, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

Bridge begins to take shape

 

On June 12, 2007, Williams Brothers Construction received a notice to proceed on one of the biggest construction projects ever undertaken in the Rio Grande Valley. Seven months later, the 1.7 mile, $28 million Anzalduas Bridge project is one-third complete.

As of right now we’re 33 percent complete with 31 percent of the time used," said City of McAllen Engineer Ramon Navarro. "We’re progressing well. We’ve been in coordination with Mexico to make sure the two bridges meet at the same point. We haven’t encountered any unforeseens and we are progressing very well. I don’t anticipate any hindrances."

According to a monthly report submitted to the Anzalduas Bridge board of directors, project crews have auger drilled and poured 218 of 371 drill shafts and constructed 80 out of 364 columns. Crews are working Monday through Saturday constructing the substructure and they are currently completing two drill shafts per day.

The bridge is being constructed in a three-part construction system. First, columns are placed in drill shafts anywhere from 73 to 86 feet deep in the ground. Then I-beams will be placed on top of those. Finally the concrete slab, which is the actual bridge, will be placed on top of the I-beams. The U.S. and Mexico portions of the bridge will meet in the middle. Currently, the Mexican side of bridge construction is seven percent complete.

According to Navarro, there are no concerns about the Mexican bridge’s progress.

"We have no concerns at the moment," said Navarro. "Theirs is a 69 million project that incorporates expressways, a toll bridge facility and other structures."

To date, there has only been one change order on the bridge project; a request for an additional 14 days due to utility conflicts.

The completion date for the bridge is unchanged and remains May 4, 2009.