Walt Whitman Bridge Pin and Hanger Retrofit
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Client:

Delaware River Port Authority
Construction Cost:

$200,000
Completion Date:

1996

Project Information:

The Walt Whitman Bridge is a seven-lane highway suspension bridge crossing the Delaware River between South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Gloucester, New Jersey. The main span of the bridge is 2,000 feet; the total length, including approach roadways and structures, is 6.2 miles.

The Philadelphia approach consists of a 245-foot deck truss, a three-span cantilevered deck truss unit with a main span of 365 feet and side spans of 245 feet, 21 girder spans with lengths varying from 106 to 132 feet and a total length of 2,684 feet, 14 multiple beam spans with lengths varying from 54 to 83 feet and a total length of 1,012 feet, and three continuous multi-beam spans over the anchorage, with a total length of 153 feet.

The Gloucester approach consists of nine deck truss spans, with lengths ranging from 177 to 257 feet, and a total length of 1,882 feet, and three continuous multi-beam spans over the anchorage, with a total length of 153 feet.

Modjeski and Masters was contracted to provide an auxiliary support system at the pin and hanger pin locations on the three-span cantilevered deck truss over the old distillery. The auxiliary support system consists of four new stainless steel hanger rods which extend from the vertical of the cantilever span to the bottom chord of the suspended span. The upper bearing assembly is rigidly connected to the truss vertical while the lower assembly is framed under the bottom chord of the suspended span.

The auxiliary support system is designed to flex as the bridge expands and contracts longitudinally due to temperature and live loading. The rods are also pre-tensioned so that they carry load as the bridge flexes longitudinally due to temperature and live loading.

 

 

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