What is a Closure Strip?
When a bridge is built in sections, the joints of the bridge sections are poured separately. In our case, a 2' gap was left incomplete. Why is this done?
The completed bridge can change shape as weight from things like cars, additional barriers, etc. are added to it. If the shape changes too much, it may not align with the new section, creating an uneven surface. To account for this, the contractor leaves a gap to complete at a later time to provide Utah drivers with a straight, smooth driving surface.
Once the new section (in our case, the center section) has cured, measurements will be taken to verify everything lines up. If anything is out of alignment, weights may be added to line the sections up. This guarantees the bridge will be straight, level, smooth, and guaranteed to last a lifetime.
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