28 projects, 6 bridges win PCI Design Awards

Twenty-eight projects, comprising six bridges and 22 buildings throughout North America, were named winners in the 2010 PCI Design Awards competition sponsored by the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute.

“These outstanding projects were singled out for extraordinary design, attention to detail, innovation, speed of construction, and industry advancement,” Vijay Chandra, Transportation jury member and senior vice president of Parsons Brinckerhoff, says in a written statement. “The wide range of entries highlights the versatility of precast concrete systems and the innovative ways in which engineers are using the advantages of precast concrete to meet today’s design challenges.”

Winning Bridge Designs

Of the 28 winning projects, six highway and nonhighway bridges were selected in the annual competition. Three additional bridge projects received honorable mentions. The winning bridges are:

  • Santa Ursula Connector, Laredo, Tex., was selected as the winner in the Bridges (Main Span up to 75 Feet) category. The engineer of record for the project was Structural Engineering Associates Inc., San Antonio, Tex. Built on a floodplain, the 1,155-foot bridge includes severe horizontal and vertical curves and is designed to withstand flood forces. The bridge employs TxDOT slab beams; 15-inch-deep solid precast, prestressed beams on a tight horizontal curve to minimize superstructure depth; and a nonstandard strand pattern that allowed slotted holes to be formed in the beam ends for hold-downs.
  • SR 519 Intermodal Access Project – Phase 2, Seattle, Wash., was selected as the winner in the Bridges (Main Span from 75 to 150 Feet) category. The engineer of record was AECOM, Bellevue, Wash. The precaster was Concrete Technology Corp., Tacoma, Wash. The project consists of two new bridges, including a two-lane elevated loop ramp over railroad tracks, in a highly developed neighborhood. The goal was to eliminate a dangerous at-grade railroad crossing and provide access to the second level of a stadium parking garage. Precast, precambered concrete girders and a 360-degree loop design were used to provide the needed railroad clearance. Precast components and an aggressive design-build schedule allowed the project to be completed 12 months earlier than anticipated.

  • Fulton Road Bridge Replacement, Cleveland, Ohio, was selected as the winner in the Bridges (Main Span More than 150 Feet) category. The engineer of record was Michael Baker Jr. Inc., Cleveland, and precast components were provided by Carr Concrete, Waverly, W.Va., and Prestress Services LLC, Lexington, Ky. Spanning a zoo, park, and railroad lines, this bridge replacement consists of six 210-foot spans. To maintain zoo operations, precast, post-tensioned parabolic arch rib segments were fabricated in 59-foot pieces and erected using only three shoring towers per span. Span segments contain post-tensioning tendons to enhance long-term durability. Precast I-girders support a cast-in-place deck.

  • Haven Avenue Grade Separation Project, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., is a cowinner in the Nonhighway Bridges category. The engineer of record was PBS&J, Orange, Calif. Precast components were supplied by Pomeroy Corp., Perris, Calif. The project involved lowering a major roadway and constructing a railroad bridge. The design incorporated an arched profile on spans, as well as an architectural recess and perimeter reveal on exterior girder faces. Ornamental railings, bold color, massive columns, and arches set the bridge apart. Precast construction allowed for concurrent construction and overcame workspace constraints, with precast girders erected in just four days.

  • South Watt Avenue LRT Grade Separation, Sacramento, Calif., is a cowinner in the Nonhighway Bridges category and was also selected as a cowinner for the Harry H. Edwards Award for industry advancement. The engineer of record was AECOM Transportation, Sacramento. This concrete railroad bridge consists of three girders spanning longitudinally and concrete slabs spanning transversely. The all-precast, through-girder superstructure was integrated transversely into a single deck section, and longitudinally into a single span unit, through post tensioning — creating a “super girder” fabricated in segments, transported, and field assembled into a single deck element. This system reduced road closures to only three weekends. Precast concrete components were provided by Con-Fab California Corp., Lathrop, Calif.

  • US101: Spencer Creek Bridge, Newport, Ore., was selected for an award in the Special Solutions category. The engineer of record was H. W. Lochner Inc., Salem, Ore. Precast concrete components were provided by Knife River Corp. – Northwest, Harrisburg, Ore. This signature deck arch bridge employs precast high-performance concrete arch rib segments that eliminated the need for complicated forming. Superstructure voided slabs were fabricated with stainless steel reinforcement and precast fascia panels hide utilities.

The judging panels also selected three bridge projects to receive Honorable Mention awards, including the following:

  • Replacement of County Bridge No. 330.5, Princeton Township, N.J., was selected in the Bridges (Main Span up to 75 Feet) category. The engineer of record was IH Engineers PC, Princeton, N.J., with precast concrete components provided by Precast Systems, Allentown, N.J.
  • I-95/I-295 North Interchange Ramp SE Flyover Bridge, Jacksonville, Fla., was selected in the Bridges (Main Span More than 150 Feet) category. The engineer of record was PB Americas Inc., Tampa, Fla.

  • Route 31 Bridge over Canandaiga Outlet, Village of Lyons, Wayne County, N.Y., was selected for a Special Solution award. The engineer of record was the New York State Department of Transportation, Albany, N.Y. Precast components were provided by Northeast Prestressed Products LLC, Cressona, Pa.

Overall, the winning projects represented a broad range of bridge and building types, including structures in three span-length categories, plus nonhighway bridges and custom solutions. Building winners included offices, mixed-use projects, public and institutional buildings, schools, parking structures, stadiums, prisons, manufacturing facilities, single-family and multifamily housing, and custom solutions. For a complete list of winners, along with detailed project information and photos, visit www.pcidesignawards.org.

Independent Judges

Judges for the 2010 PCI Design Awards consisted of three panels focusing on Bridges; Buildings; and special awards for Sustainability, All-Precast Solutions, and the Harry H. Edwards Award for industry advancement.

The Bridges jury included Chandra, Ralph Anderson, Illinois DOT; and Myint Lwin, Office of Bridge Technology, Federal Highway Administration. The Buildings jury included Gregory Georgis, president of Georgis Design+Development; architect Jay Longo from Gensler; Katie Gerfen, senior editor with Architect magazine; Walter Hainsfurther, president of Kurtz Associates Architects and vice president of the American Institute of Architects; and Stuart Howard, president elect, Royal Institute of Architects. Special Award judges included Tom McCluskey, president of McCluskey Engineering Corporation; Jason Lien, vice president of engineering for Encon United; and George Tuhowski, chair, USGBC Chicago.