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Hayfork Creek Bridge on Wildwood Road Wins ASCE Sacramento Outstanding Structural Project of the Year Award

Hayfork Creek Bridge on Wildwood Road Wins ASCE Sacramento Outstanding Structural Project of the Year Award

Awards
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T.Y. Lin International (TYLI), a globally recognized, full-service infrastructure consulting firm, announces that TYLI has been honored with the Outstanding Structural Project of the Year Award by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Sacramento Section, for the new Hayfork Creek Bridge on Wildwood Road (Hayfork Creek Bridge) in Trinity County, California. Working closely with the Trinity County Department of Transportation and the California Department of Transportation, District 2, TYLI served as Prime Engineer for the project.

The ASCE Structural Project of the Year Award recognizes projects whose primary focus is on structural and seismic design and construction that showcases advancements and innovation in the field of structural engineering. This includes implementation of new methods, improvements on existing methods, and/or incorporation of emerging technology.

The Hayfork Creek Bridge project replaced a structurally deficient, single-lane bridge built in 1928 with a 162-foot long, cast-in-place prestressed slab, supported on pier walls founded on spread footings and seat abutments. The project also included realignment of the approach roadway. The new 2-lane bridge significantly improves traffic flow and provides the capacity for 100-year flood events.

The purpose of the project was to ensure long-term access across Hayfork Creek and improve user safety along Wildwood Road. Trinity County sought to minimize project impacts to the environment, maintain access across Hayfork Creek throughout construction, and limit construction-related disruptions to adjacent residential and business stakeholders.

In order to achieve these goals, an offset alignment was created to maintain traffic on the existing bridge while the new bridge was constructed. A secondary crossing was created for construction equipment and materials to cross the creek without impacting traffic. Bridge construction also faced adversities as parts of Trinity County—and the project site in particular—were evacuated when wildfires raged through the area and the construction site was commandeered as the regional fire support staging area.

“T.Y. Lin International is very proud to receive this prestigious award from ASCE, Sacramento Section,” said Chris Hodge, TYLI Project Manager and Northern California Bridge Services Manager. “Construction of the Hayfork Creek Bridge faced a variety of challenges, from seasonal setbacks like snow, ice, and mudslides to sudden project halts due to local wildfires. In the end, the project team delivered an efficient, two-lane bridge that is the pride of Trinity County.”

Preliminary studies performed included a hydraulic analysis and a geotechnical report that addressed scour and seismic concerns. Because the abutments of the old bridge required deep excavations, and the potential existed for cultural resources within the project area, a geoarchaeological study/excavation was also overseen and reviewed by the TYLI team. This required outreach with the Nor-Rel-Muk Wintu Nation, which provided Native American cultural resources monitoring during site investigation activities along the creek.

Following the preliminary engineering phase, TYLI provided full plans, specifications and estimate (PS&E) for the bridge replacement. The firm also assisted the Trinity County Department of Transportation in successfully securing Federal Highway Bridge Program funds and additional special cost approvals for the project. The Hayfork Creek Bridge opened to traffic in August 2016.