PITTSBURGH, PA — The total reconstruction and replacement of the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s (PA Turnpike) Beaver River Bridge in North Sewickley Township, Beaver County, is garnering international attention at the International Bridge Conference (IBC), held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Located near the Beaver Valley Interchange (exit 13) off the PA Turnpike, the Beaver River Bridge has been in use since its completion in 1953. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission selected Fay, S&B USA Construction (Fay) as the general contractor to replace this current steel deck truss bridge. The $269 million project, which began in December 2022, is more than halfway finished with completion expected in 2027.
In collaboration with PA Turnpike officials, Fay hosted a group of bridge conference participants for a close-up tour of the bridge construction site to showcase features of the dual cast-in-place segmental bridges currently under construction. Upon completion, the two bridges will be among only a few segmental bridges in Pennsylvania. The Susquehanna River Bridge, completed in 2007, was the first built in Pennsylvania and is the only other segmental bridge on the PA Turnpike.
“We always strive to be an innovative leader in the transportation community, and we are thrilled to showcase the fantastic work the PA Turnpike is doing at the Beaver River Bridge to an international audience,” said Brad Heigel, Chief Engineer, PA Turnpike. “While this one-day showcase highlights just some of the improvements we’re making in the corridor, the project improves safety and mobility for the tens of thousands of travelers who traverse the bridge every day.”
Segmental bridges are built in short sections from each side of the bridge pier, one segment at a time, using traveling forms to mold the concrete sections. Once each segment is completed, the form is disassembled and reattached to the end of the new segment to pour the next section. As the segments from each pier meet, they are joined in a closure pour. Fay’s parent company has experience with segmental bridges and shared this expertise.
| Your local Trimble Construction Division dealer |
|---|
| SITECH Allegheny |
| SITECH Northeast |
“A cast-in-place segmental bridge enables efficient construction over difficult terrain and requires a reduced footprint for the piers, which is precisely the dynamic we’re dealing with on this site,” said Ryan Surrena, President of Fay. “As PA Turnpike travelers see the two new bridges now taking shape 200 feet above the Beaver River, this is a great opportunity to put a notable local infrastructure project and the skilled workforce Pennsylvania boasts on an international stage.”
In addition to constructing the two new bridges, the overall project will reconfigure 2 miles of the approaching east and west roadway as part of the PA Turnpike’s Total Reconstruction Initiative. This project improves safety with three travel lanes in either direction and widens the shoulders and medians. Each five-span bridge will be 1,645 feet long, 70 feet wide, and supported by four piers rising up from the river and embankments. The project will also reconfigure the State Route 18 interchange to a half cloverleaf/half diamond ramp system for improved access to Beaver County communities.
