Discovery Bridge
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Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan PAGE 6B Saturday, October 4, 2008 DISCOVERYDedication2008 Construction Firm Proud To Build Discovery Bridge BY SHAUNA MARLETTE shauna.marlette@yankton.net The new Discovery Bridge is something of which the community of Yankton can be very proud. Jensen Construction of Des Moines, Iowa, entrusted with building the bridge, is proud of it, too. I hope the community knows that we are so proud to have built the bridge on time and with so few accidents, said Dan Timmons, vice president of Jensen Construction. According to the company s Web site, www.jensenconst.com, Jensen Construction has been in the construction business since 1912. The company is a heavy and highway contractor that does the majority of its work in the public sector, primarily in bridge construction. I think that (Discovery) is our 15th Missouri river crossing, Timmons said. We have crossed at Chamberlain, Niobrara and Vermillion, among others. Jensen construction was awarded the general contract to build the Discovery Bridge on May 2, 2007. Actual construction related activities began in early June 2007. The project included 2.1 miles of road improvements in addition to construction of Discovery. The actual design of the Discovery Bridge was created by the Nebraska Department of Roads, Timmons said. They had a design that was constructible in an efficient manner. Obviously, we assigned a decent amount of resources to the project, both in the number of personnel and the amount of equipment assigned to the project, that allowed us to build the bridge on schedule. Jensen Construction s contract with the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) called for the bridge to be complete by the end of 2009. However, after being awarded the project in May 2007, the company said it planned to have it finished by the end of this year. During construction of any sort, there are steps along the way that are vital to completing the project on time. For Discovery Bridge, the first obstacle to finishing the bridge on time was completing the drilling and pouring the piers for the bridge. The final pier for the bridge was capped on Jan. 11, 2008. The most critical component to completing the bridge on time getting the drilling done on time was diving the whole project. We finished that late last fall. Getting that done was a big milestone, Timmons said. Finishing the drilling when we did was a good thing, because last winter was pretty harsh. There were many cold days. There were days that, because of the cold and wind, we were unable to be out on the bridge working. But, there were just as many days when most people would not have wanted to be outside and the men were working. The location of Discovery Bridge also played a huge factor in the construction of the bridge. When you are doing river work with barges and what-not, they say more water is better, said Robert Wiebelhaus, project manager for NDOR. It has been a blessing to have the (Gavins Point Dam) up there, because we didn t have to deal with water fluctuations or the river icing over. The next big milestone was the placement of the girders, the horizontal supports, on the bridge. The first girder went in place March 18. The placement of the girders was delayed due to the weather, but for the most part, construction went according to plan. Jensen worked into April installing and tying off the supports. When the bridge opens for use, there will have been more than 5.5 million pounds of steel beams and 1.25 million pounds of reinforcing steel that the workers will have placed, positioned and welded, Timmons said. In April, construction crews began to build the actual deck of the bridge, laying supports forms and rebar before starting to pour concrete. This process on the bridge deck continued until the final load of deck concrete was poured in mid-August. The majority of the concrete used in the project has been provided by Concrete Materials out of Yankton. The only time that it was supplied from a different company was when the Meridian Bridge was closed for repairs with a restricted weight limit in June. When all construction is done on the Discovery Bridge project, there will have been more than 7,000 cubic yards of concrete used on the bridge deck and just under 20,000 cubic yards used in the entire project. We are just very glad to be part of the historical construction process for Yankton and South Yankton, said Andy Haas, manager of Concrete Materials. We are glad we were able to help out and keep them on and ahead of schedule. Jensen Construction was great to work with. The total estimated weight of the bridge would tip the scales at more than 34,750,000 pounds of steel, rebar and concrete. Even after the bridge s grandopening ceremony, there will still be some work to be done. There are some tie-ins from the old highway to the new road and some minor work like that which could roll over into 2009, Timmons said earlier this year. We re hopeful that, if we get the bridge open early enough, we ll have four to six weeks of weather that will be conducive to finishing up those activities. The Discovery Bridge project has been built to be here for a long time to come. To ensure that future, there were upgrades made to the design of the project. We added lightening protection to the bridge, Wiebelhaus said. (Upgrades) that enhance the project only make it stronger. We don t want to go 30-40 years down the road and have a tower fail. Throughout the project, close to 30 workers were employed by Jensen Construction. Of the employees hired by Jensen Construction, only eight were from outside of the area. When the project is done, there will have been close to 70,000 manhours directly related to construction of the bridge. I just think it is important for people to understand how important for economic development and what an investment in the future the new bridge is, Timmons said. It will effect not only the traffic flow to Yankton, but will also drive new business to your community. Jensen Construction is very thankful and proud to have been a part of Yankton s future in such an important project. KELLY HERTZ/P&D In August, Sen. John Thune, left, talked with some construction workers while touring the bridge site. It s estimated the Discovery Bridge project has required more than 70,000 man-hours to complete. Discover Yankton s Newest Retail Center Just 9 blocks north of the new Discovery Bridge! Join the tenants at Morgen Square! We still have room for you and your new business! Contact Marv Looby at (605) 338-6170 SOUTH From Page 5B Welcome Center. We have a very high number of people stopping (at the center) versus those traveling in the higher-traffic areas, she said. We have more travelers stopping in and getting information for the area and the highway in general. We have already seen an increase in that. Schulte said he is happy to see completion of the Discovery Bridge for safety s sake. Lately, I was concerned about (the Meridian Bridge) and making it across, he said. The old bridge has a curve across it, and it wasn t the safest in the world. Stratman looks forward to the new bridge while retaining the qualities of her hometown on the south side of the river. Will the bridge be positive for South Yankton? We believe it will be, she said. We enjoy the tranquility and welcome those who want to be part of our community. We re happy living in our own skin. There isn t a selfish bone over there. Stratman also emphasizes the need for both South Dakota and Nebraska to continue working together. It s in our best interests as communities on both sides of the river to cooperate rather than compete, she said. We need to grow. There is room for all of us. Bike & Hiking Trails Camping After the Dedication r e Stop by the Lewis & Clark Marina & Resort Dakota Territorial Replica Building at Riverside Park Enjoy the magnificent Lewis & Clark Lake, miles of bike trails & great campgrounds. Saturday, Oct. 11th Noon-4pm Traveling Bridge Exhibit Yankton Area Arts Display ~ Selection of entries from 2008 Mighty Mo Photo Show, juried competition Yankton Community Library ~ Entries/Winner from Bridge Building Contest History of the Meridian Bridge video Dakota Territorial Museum historic artifacts of the Meridian Bridge on display RECREATION AREA RESORT MARINA Gift Shop! Shop for Meridian and Discovery Bridge Memorabilia, and other related items. Sponsored By: Yankton Community Library www.lewisandclarkpark.com Park Office: 605-668-2985 Marina: 605-665-3111 Resort: 605-665-2680 Restaurant: 605-668-5181 Camping Reservations: 1-800-710-CAMP or www.CampSD.com
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Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan PAGE 6B Saturday, October 4, 2008 DISCOVERYDedication2008 Construction Firm Proud To Build Discovery Bridge BY SHAUNA MARLETTE shauna.marlette@yankton.net The new Discovery Bridge is something of which the community of Yankton can be very proud. Jensen Construction of Des Moines, Iowa, entrusted with building the bridge, is proud of it, too. I hope the community knows that we are so proud to have built the bridge on time and with so few accidents, said Dan Timmons, vice president of Jensen Construction. According to the company s Web site, www.jensenconst.com, Jensen Construction has been in the construction business since 1912. The company is a heavy and highway contractor that does the majority of its work in the public sector, primarily in bridge construction. I think that (Discovery) is our 15th Missouri river crossing, Timmons said. We have crossed at Chamberlain, Niobrara and Vermillion, among others. Jensen construction was awarded the general contract to build the Discovery Bridge on May 2, 2007. Actual construction related activities began in early June 2007. The project included 2.1 miles of road improvements in addition to construction of Discovery. The actual design of the Discovery Bridge was created by the Nebraska Department of Roads, Timmons said. They had a design that was constructible in an efficient manner. Obviously, we assigned a decent amount of resources to the project, both in the number of personnel and the amount of equipment assigned to the project, that allowed us to build the bridge on schedule. Jensen Construction s contract with the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) called for the bridge to be complete by the end of 2009. However, after being awarded the project in May 2007, the company said it planned to have it finished by the end of this year. During construction of any sort, there are steps along the way that are vital to completing the project on time. For Discovery Bridge, the first obstacle to finishing the bridge on time was completing the drilling and pouring the piers for the bridge. The final pier for the bridge was capped on Jan. 11, 2008. The most critical component to completing the bridge on time getting the drilling done on time was diving the whole project. We finished that late last fall. Getting that done was a big milestone, Timmons said. Finishing the drilling when we did was a good thing, because last winter was pretty harsh. There were many cold days. There were days that, because of the cold and wind, we were unable to be out on the bridge working. But, there were just as many days when most people would not have wanted to be outside and the men were working. The location of Discovery Bridge also played a huge factor in the construction of the bridge. When you are doing river work with barges and what-not, they say more water is better, said Robert Wiebelhaus, project manager for NDOR. It has been a blessing to have the (Gavins Point Dam) up there, because we didn t have to deal with water fluctuations or the river icing over. The next big milestone was the placement of the girders, the horizontal supports, on the bridge. The first girder went in place March 18. The placement of the girders was delayed due to the weather, but for the most part, construction went according to plan. Jensen worked into April installing and tying off the supports. When the bridge opens for use, there will have been more than 5.5 million pounds of steel beams and 1.25 million pounds of reinforcing steel that the workers will have placed, positioned and welded, Timmons said. In April, construction crews began to build the actual deck of the bridge, laying supports forms and rebar before starting to pour concrete. This process on the bridge deck continued until the final load of deck concrete was poured in mid-August. The majority of the concrete used in the project has been provided by Concrete Materials out of Yankton. The only time that it was supplied from a different company was when the Meridian Bridge was closed for repairs with a restricted weight limit in June. When all construction is done on the Discovery Bridge project, there will have been more than 7,000 cubic yards of concrete used on the bridge deck and just under 20,000 cubic yards used in the entire project. We are just very glad to be part of the historical construction process for Yankton and South Yankton, said Andy Haas, manager of Concrete Materials. We are glad we were able to help out and keep them on and ahead of schedule. Jensen Construction was great to work with. The total estimated weight of the bridge would tip the scales at more than 34,750,000 pounds of steel, rebar and concrete. Even after the bridge s grandopening ceremony, there will still be some work to be done. There are some tie-ins from the old highway to the new road and some minor work like that which could roll over into 2009, Timmons said earlier this year. We re hopeful that, if we get the bridge open early enough, we ll have four to six weeks of weather that will be conducive to finishing up those activities. The Discovery Bridge project has been built to be here for a long time to come. To ensure that future, there were upgrades made to the design of the project. We added lightening protection to the bridge, Wiebelhaus said. (Upgrades) that enhance the project only make it stronger. We don t want to go 30-40 years down the road and have a tower fail. Throughout the project, close to 30 workers were employed by Jensen Construction. Of the employees hired by Jensen Construction, only eight were from outside of the area. When the project is done, there will have been close to 70,000 manhours directly related to construction of the bridge. I just think it is important for people to understand how important for economic development and what an investment in the future the new bridge is, Timmons said. It will effect not only the traffic flow to Yankton, but will also drive new business to your community. Jensen Construction is very thankful and proud to have been a part of Yankton s future in such an important project. KELLY HERTZ/P&D In August, Sen. John Thune, left, talked with some construction workers while touring the bridge site. It s estimated the Discovery Bridge project has required more than 70,000 man-hours to complete. Discover Yankton s Newest Retail Center Just 9 blocks north of the new Discovery Bridge! Join the tenants at Morgen Square! We still have room for you and your new business! Contact Marv Looby at (605) 338-6170 SOUTH From Page 5B Welcome Center. We have a very high number of people stopping (at the center) versus those traveling in the higher-traffic areas, she said. We have more travelers stopping in and getting information for the area and the highway in general. We have already seen an increase in that. Schulte said he is happy to see completion of the Discovery Bridge for safety s sake. Lately, I was concerned about (the Meridian Bridge) and making it across, he said. The old bridge has a curve across it, and it wasn t the safest in the world. Stratman looks forward to the new bridge while retaining the qualities of her hometown on the south side of the river. Will the bridge be positive for South Yankton? We believe it will be, she said. We enjoy the tranquility and welcome those who want to be part of our community. We re happy living in our own skin. There isn t a selfish bone over there. Stratman also emphasizes the need for both South Dakota and Nebraska to continue working together. It s in our best interests as communities on both sides of the river to cooperate rather than compete, she said. We need to grow. There is room for all of us. Bike & Hiking Trails Camping After the Dedication r e Stop by the Lewis & Clark Marina & Resort Dakota Territorial Replica Building at Riverside Park Enjoy the magnificent Lewis & Clark Lake, miles of bike trails & great campgrounds. Saturday, Oct. 11th Noon-4pm Traveling Bridge Exhibit Yankton Area Arts Display ~ Selection of entries from 2008 Mighty Mo Photo Show, juried competition Yankton Community Library ~ Entries/Winner from Bridge Building Contest History of the Meridian Bridge video Dakota Territorial Museum historic artifacts of the Meridian Bridge on display RECREATION AREA RESORT MARINA Gift Shop! Shop for Meridian and Discovery Bridge Memorabilia, and other related items. Sponsored By: Yankton Community Library www.lewisandclarkpark.com Park Office: 605-668-2985 Marina: 605-665-3111 Resort: 605-665-2680 Restaurant: 605-668-5181 Camping Reservations: 1-800-710-CAMP or www.CampSD.com
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