6th Avenue Arch – Colorado
Video of 6th Ave. Bridge Roll-Out
Project Summary
Steel Arch Bridge
The project consists of a seven span bridge structure carrying RTD’s West Corridor light rail over 6th Ave. The bridge consists of six 80’ concrete bulb-t girder approach spans and a 286’ steel basket arch main span. The entire steel arch structure is fabricated from weathering steel and the arches incline inwards toward each other to form a ‘basket-handled tied arch’ style of bridge. The tensioned cables are 2 3/8 inch diameter galvanized steel and are arranged in a crossed-cable pattern that provide an important piece of the structural integrity as well as being visually attractive.
The signature steel-arch bridge for RTD’s West Corridor light rail over the Sixth Avenue Freeway was rolled into place over the highway from its temporary perch on a platform at the Denver Federal Center. This innovative construction method saved time and money for the traveling public and taxpayers.
The arch was launched across the freeway using heavy load trailers and a track system. The installation required a full closure of Sixth Avenue between Kipling Street and Simms-Union for a single weekend in April. The freeway was re-opened ahead of schedule.
Project Cost: $12 Million
Client: Edward Kraemer & Sons, Inc.