JensenConstructionCompanyWorksOnNewSDDOTBridge

BRIDGE from page 1

The structure carries U.S. Highways 14 and 83, along with S.D. Highway 34, and is a crossing point over the Missouri River between Fort Pierre and Pierre.

“Residents and visitors to Pierre and Fort Pierre use the bridge, often several times a dayforwork;totravelbetweenthetwocommunities; to transport agricultural and other products; for tourism and recreation; and to travel across the state of South Dakota,” said VanDeWiele.

In 2016, SDDOT performed a bridge replacementstudy,withintentionsofgathering more information to justify a structure replacement. After years of studying and planning, SDDOT decided to move forward with building a new bridge.

“Between Pierre and Fort Pierre, the MissouriRiverisahalfmiletoamilewide,” saidVanDeWiele.“Thetwotownsremained seasonally isolated until the railroad bridge, constructed in 1907, and the first highway bridge, constructed in 1926, joined the two towns. Prior to the bridges, methods of crossing the river depended on the season andthedepthofthewaterthatvariedbyseason. In November or December, the river would freeze over to sufficient depth to create an ice bridge. When the ice broke up in March orApril, various boats, ranging from rowboats to steam ferry boats, were used to move people, livestock and products across the river from 1876 until 1926.”

Decades later, the existing bridge was constructed as a four-lane structure built from steel girders with a steel deck. The bridge has a Jersey-style center divider and a sidewalk on the downstream side. The bridge features a vertical curve to achieve the required clearance above the river. In 2002, the standing bridge was dedicated to World War II hero Lt. Cmdr. John C. Waldon.

Phase 1 construction on the Pierre-Fort Pierre Bridge project officially began in see BRIDGE page 98

November 2020. Crews have been working on the replacement bridge throughout the winter, in extremely frigid weather and on weekends, when necessary.

According to VanDeWiele, completing theunderwatersubstructureworkeliminated dealing with variable water depths and having to schedule work accordingly. Roadway approach work will carry through the summer of 2023.

This spring, commuters experienced the installation of two-way traffic in the eastbound lanes from the U.S. Highway 14/83 junction in Fort Pierre to Charles Street in Pierre. Closure of the westbound lanes is necessary for construction of the new bridge superstructure, berms, concrete paving and intersection work.

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