Lake Champlain Bridge Project Awarded to Flatiron

ALBANY, NY (05/28/2010)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Acting Commissioner Stanley Gee and Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) Secretary David Dill today announced that the project to build a new Lake Champlain Bridge between Crown Point, New York and Addison, Vermont has been awarded to Flatiron Constructors Incorporated of Boulder, Colorado, for $69.6 million. Work on the project will begin right away.

"The new Lake Champlain Bridge will be not only a magnificent addition to the beauty of the Adirondack and Green Mountains that surround the lake, but will restore a critical link for employment, health services, tourism and shipping between New York and Vermont," Acting Commissioner Gee said. "I am pleased that in less than eight months we have been able to design and choose a contractor to build this unique structure that will offer a safe, efficient way for people to cross Lake Champlain."

"The sudden closure of the Lake Champlain Bridge back in October severed a critical link between counties that geographically may be in different states but emotionally consider themselves to be part of the same community," said Secretary Dill. "The temporary ferry service that is now running between Crown Point, New York and Addison, Vermont was only the first step in helping to ease the burden that closing the bridge placed on commuters, business and families. Construction of the new bridge is what will finally bring this joint community not only back together but back to normal."

The new bridge spanning Lake Champlain will feature a Network Tied Arch center with traditional steel plate girder approach spans. Bridge components are designed to be easily replaceable to reduce maintenance costs and multiple redundancies increase safety for the traveling public. Travel lanes will be 11 feet wide, with five-foot shoulders that will help accommodate larger trucks and farm vehicles, as well as provide ample room for bicyclists. Sidewalks will be built on both sides of the bridge.

The new bridge will be built at the same location as the previous structure, in order to minimize historic and environmental impacts on the surrounding area. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of September 2011. The temporary ferry near this location will continue to run 24-hours-per-day, free of charge until the bridge is opened to traffic.

Built in 1929, the previous structure was closed in October 2009 to ensure public safety after significant deterioration was discovered in the bridge's piers. In December, the historic bridge was demolished.

Flatiron has been responsible for building major interstate bridges all across the United States and Canada. The company rebuilt the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following its tragic collapse in 2007.

"Flatiron is very happy to be awarded this technical bridge construction contract," said Mark Mallett, Flatiron's Project Manager for the Lake Champlain Bridge project. "This is a special project and location. We look forward to working closely with the New York State Department of Transportation. We have an experienced and motivated team assigned to this project."

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