Continuous maintenance and inspections have ensured that the existing Lake Pontchatrain Causeway remained functionally sound over the years. However, with no shoulders or pullover areas, this mid-20th century bridge operating with 21st century urban traffic was becoming a safety liability.
An all precast solution was developed for the Lake Pontchatrian Causeway – cylinder piles, pile caps and composite girder/slab deck units complete with barrier rails – with only cap-to-existing-cap and cap-to-pile connections being cast-in-place. All precast erection was performed using barge-mounted cranes for piles and pile caps and barge-mounted self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) for deck span unit placement, so as to eliminate operations on the deck immediately adjacent to traffic.
