Hawk Falls Bridge

High Steel is currently fabricating 3,500 tons of steel for the Pennsylvania Turnpike's new Hawks Falls Bridge. The new 720-foot-long skewback steel deck arch bridge will carry the Turnpike's Northeast Extension (I-496) over Mud Run in Carbon County, PA.  The project includes a single-span steel girder bridge crossing Hickory Run Road.

The overall length of the arch bridge is 720 feet, with a main 480-foot deck arch span and two, 60' I-girder spans on each end.  

The bridge design features a two-hinged steel deck arch with three lines of arch ribs. Each arch rib is a built-up, welded box section approximately 4'-3" wide by 7'-6" tall. Because of its closed box sections, confined space requirements were important during the fabrication process.  

The floor system is composed of rolled beam stringers framing directly into built-up, welded I-section floor beams. The floor beams are designated as System Redundant Members (SRMs), a relatively new member designation in the steel industry that recognizes the redundancy of steel structures.

Rendering Photos Courtesy of the PA Turnpike.