Connecting Communities: US 36 Westbound over White Lick Creek
The original US 36 Westbound bridge over White Lick Creek in Avon, IN was redesigned by RQAW | DCCM into a new, structurally sound bridge. The project, managed by Randall Brooks and Rose Walther, featured the replacement of the two-span concrete arch with a new hydraulically improved two-span bridge. Originally constructed in 1926, the bridge was deteriorating and in serious need of replacement for the safety of the community. RQAW | DCCM partnered with INDOT Crawfordsville District to complete the bridge design, environmental documentation, and permitting. Our project team also provided a complex maintenance-of-traffic scheme to successfully accommodate the several intersections and two trail crossings within the project area.
The completed bridge replacement not only features an improved structure but also encourages locals to explore nature and their environment. The project consisted of increasing the vertical clearance and creating longer span lengths, allowing the bridge to extend over the creek and the newly constructed pedestrian trail. This design allows pedestrians and bicyclists to safely navigate the trails along White Lick Creek without the hazards of busy highway traffic.
In addition to prioritizing pedestrian safety, RQAW | DCCM also focused on ensuring the structure layout and materials used to build the bridge would provide US 36 Westbound traffic with a long-term and durable crossing over the creek and trail. The bridge’s features were selected to reduce the frequency of significant maintenance for many years, proving to be a cost-effective solution.
As we near International Women in Engineering Day on June 23rd, it is important to recognize the incredible contributions of our own Bridge Project Manager, Rose Walther, who led the bridge design for this project. She was responsible for designing and confirming all aspects of the US 36 bridge design as well as coordinating with the client to ensure project goals were met and expectations were exceeded. Her hard work and dedication to this project played a vital role in being awarded the 2022 Engineering Excellence Award by ACEC for US 36 Westbound over White Lick Creek.
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