The Portland Avenue to Port of Tacoma Road, Southbound HOV project improves a section of southbound I-5 in Tacoma Washington, and is the companion to the northbound improvements project of 2016. The project consists of one 9-span, 6-lane bridge over the Puyallup river. What is most notable about this project is the record setting girder lengths. In order for the Contractor to maintain clearances around the existing rail road tracks the second span of the bridge was designed using a modified WF100G girder with lightweight concrete. By increasing the top flange width by 12” and using lightweight concrete the longest single span girder in the nation was produced at (223’-4 ½”) was produced and shipped in 2019.
National Record Length Girder , 2019 – 223’-4.5” WF100TDG weighing 238,800 lbs. (lightweight concrete)
Precast Prestressed Girders:
11 (ea), WF100TDG Girders, 207’-9 5/8” – 223’-4.5”
19 (ea) WF100G girders, 192’-6 7/8” – 203’-9 ¾”
54 (ea) WF74G girders, 135’-8 7/8” – 166’-7”
