PARSIPPANY, N.J., Nov. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acrow, a leading international bridge engineering and supply company, noted today one of its modular steel bridges has been installed to carry detoured traffic during the reconstruction of a bridge in the Italian port city of Livorno. The old structure was damaged by the exceptional flooding that occurred throughout Central Italy in September 2017.
The Tre Ponti was a masonry arch structure spanning the Rio Ardenza on the Viale Antignano, one of the most scenic coastal roadways along the Tyrrhenian Sea and a major route with heavy local and tourist traffic. Named for the three-span configuration of the original structure, the bridge was later widened to five spans. When the torrential rainstorm in 2017 brought over twice the monthly rainfall in just two hours, the free flow of excessive volumes of water was obstructed by the piers of the bridge. This contributed to widespread flooding in the city, which resulted in loss of life as well as extensive property damage.
With an eye to rebuilding a less flood-prone structure, plans were initiated by the Tuscany Region to demolish the damaged bridge and replace it with a single-span structure to enable better water flow. To accommodate the route’s heavy traffic during the lengthy project, a modular steel detour bridge was included in the plans and an Acrow 700XS® bridge was selected and rented to project contractor Carraro Impresa.
Acrow’s two-lane solution is 42.67 meters long, measured between pin centerlines. It has a width of 7.35 meters as well as two external 2.1-meter-wide footwalks, one for pedestrians and one for utilities. Designed to meet Eurocode and Italian design standards, the Acrow structure features an epoxy aggregate deck surface with hot-dip zinc galvanization of all major components to ensure full protection against corrosion from sea spray.
Installed with the assistance of a 700 metric tonne wheeled crane, the bridge was completed in nine days. Despite the tight assembly and launch footprint of the construction area, the coastal roadway remained open to traffic throughout construction due to careful coordination of the initial site preparation work as well as the movements of all machinery, all of which ensured the timely success of the project. Acrow’s bridge was opened to traffic on November 4, 2024, and will remain in service until the new bridge is completed.
“With two traffic lanes and two side footwalks, Acrow’s temporary solution was the ideal choice to safely minimize the potential impacts of a long-term demolition and reconstruction project for motorists and pedestrians,” said Marco Mazzucato, Country Director, Acrow Italy.
“It is an honor to have been able to serve our Italian customers on this project, which utilizes one of the largest modular steel bridges in the country to date,” said Paul Sullivan, President – International Business at Acrow.
About Acrow
Acrow has been serving the transportation and construction industries for more than 70 years with a wide range of modular steel bridging solutions for permanent, temporary, military and emergency use. Acrow’s extensive international presence includes leadership in the development and implementation of bridge infrastructure projects in over 150 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, please visit www.acrow.com.
Media contact:
Tracy Van Buskirk
Marketcom PR
Main: (212) 537-5177, ext. 8;
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tvanbuskirk@marketcompr.com
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