Victory Highway (Route 102) over I-95 Bridge Replacement

West Greenwich, Rhode Island

Originally constructed in 1967, the three-span steel plate girder bridge on Route 102 over I-95 in West Greenwich, RI measures 312 feet in total length. Although different span configurations for the replacement bridge were investigated, the design ultimately replicated the existing configuration because of constructability concerns. The replacement plate girders were designed to be approximately seven inches shallower than the original girders in order to increase the vertical clearance over Interstate 95.

The project was designed to be constructed in two phases with a single lane of traffic maintained in each direction on Victory Highway during construction. Temporary modifications were designed for the on/off ramp entrances adjacent to the bridge in order to allow safe use of these intersections during lane shifts.

The abutments, wingwalls, and piers were designed to be constructed using precast wall stems, columns, and piers caps in order to reduce construction duration. Overhead utilities required relocation prior to construction; however, difficult terrain and environmental resource areas presented significant constraints to alternative locations for the utility poles. After coordination with RIDOT and the utility companies, BETA prepared a design that brought the overhead utilities underground at the bridge approaches and carried them across the bridge in new utility bays.

The design also incorporated new ancillary elements such as overhead highway lighting both on the bridge and its approaches, a new pole-mounted non-invasive pavement surface sensor system, and a pavement temperature probe.