Following yesterday's very late post about the float-out, here is an up-to-date update. These photos were taken a few days ago.
First, an overview of the progress. You can see that the lift towers on the Portsmouth side are nearly complete, having surpassed the Kittery towers. Also noteworthy is the lack of towers on the old bridge. While I was traveling for a couple weeks, they were completely demolished. Sorry to have missed that!
First, an overview of the progress. You can see that the lift towers on the Portsmouth side are nearly complete, having surpassed the Kittery towers. Also noteworthy is the lack of towers on the old bridge. While I was traveling for a couple weeks, they were completely demolished. Sorry to have missed that!
We'll start at the top of the northwest tower (on the Portsmouth side). The photos below are views of Portsmouth and the river, the Portsmouth side of the construction site (you can see the diverging paths of the rail and road decks), and finally, the Kittery side of the site. Note that the deck has been mostly removed from the old bridge. The remaining spans will be floated out in the near future.
These photos were taken from about 190' above the water. There is one more full tower segment, and then the cap remaining. I was standing on the landing of a staircase that will eventually continue to the top.
The final photo below is a view down into the tower. The tower is currently full of staging, but will be an open shaft to accommodate a counterweight. The openings with steel exes in them will be windows. The steel is in place to stabilize the segements while they were transported and stacked.
These photos were taken from about 190' above the water. There is one more full tower segment, and then the cap remaining. I was standing on the landing of a staircase that will eventually continue to the top.
The final photo below is a view down into the tower. The tower is currently full of staging, but will be an open shaft to accommodate a counterweight. The openings with steel exes in them will be windows. The steel is in place to stabilize the segements while they were transported and stacked.
Closer to the ground, assembly of the highway deck has begun on the Portsmouth side. Like the rail deck, the highway is made up of pre-cast segments like the one below. They are joined horizontally, first attached using the threaded rods visible within the casting, and then post-tensioned with tendons that run through several segments (just like the towers, but horizontally).
The deck is constucted in chunks, each centered on one of the piers. Below, you can see the first pier on the Portsmouth side (near the Albacore). The center segment has been set, and one addition segment has been attached. Next, one will be attached to the left side, and they will alternate back and forth until this section of the deck meets the one centered on the next pier.
If you look closely, you'll see two hydraulic jacks under the segment on the right (and two more for the eventual segment on the left). These help to balance the assembly until it's completed.
If you look closely, you'll see two hydraulic jacks under the segment on the right (and two more for the eventual segment on the left). These help to balance the assembly until it's completed.
The second pier on the Portsmouth side is much further along. Below, you can see that the whole thing is supported by the pier in the center.
When the two reach each other (somewhere over Market St.), they will be fused together with what's known as a "closure pour". Below is a photo of one of the closure pours on the rail deck.
Below is a view from the Portsmouth abutment along the alignment of the highway deck. Notice the approach to the old bridge has been cut away on the right.
And finally, a photo of the last bit of the old center span being cut up on the State Pier by an excavator with giant metal shears attached. Once this is done, the next span will be floated over and cut up.
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