402 Tacoma Avenue S., Suite 200 TACOMA, WA 98402 PHONE (253) 627-4853 FAX (253) 627-2253
TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012
Vol. CXXIII, No. 142
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices
Published Since 1890
SR 520 Pontoons
Skilled crews, high tides help move major project through Tacoma tide ats
Photos Courtesy WSDOT The first six concrete pontoons to support a replacement State Route 520 bridge were floated out of a construction facility in Tacoma Monday, marking a major milestone toward replacing the aging and vulnerable floating bridge. Crews will continue to tow pairs of pontoons out of Concrete Technology Corporation on high tides Tuesday and Wednesday evening. The completed pontoons are the first of 77 of various sizes needed for a new six-lane floating bridge. A total of 44 pontoons will be built in Tacoma and 33 in Aberdeen. As each cycle ends, crews prepare the pontoons for assembly in the new floating bridge just north of the existing bridge. Crews in Tacoma worked for about six months to build this batch of six supplemental stability pontoons. These smaller pontoons will attach to the sides of larger new pontoons to provide additional floatation for the bridge structure. The 44 smaller pontoons each weigh 2,500 to 2,820 tons and measure 100 feet long, 50 to 60 feet wide and about 28 feet tall. In June, there were 155 workers at the Tacoma jobsite, including 100 craft workers, such as carpenters, ironworkers, concrete workers and equipment operators. Employment levels are expected to rise to meet construction demand as future pontoon construction cycles get under way. Construction is expected to continue into 2014. On Sunday afternoon, the gates were opened and the basin began to fill with water. (TOP) Two members of the team used a skiff to move around within the flooded basin. (MIDDLE LEFT) As the water rose, crews inspected the inside of the pontoons for water. (MIDDLE RIGHT) Meanwhile, a worker attached a cable to the gate. Before the tug boat pulled the gate away, a winch was used to ensure the gate cleared the edge of the basin. On Monday, at highest tide, the southeast edge of the gate cleared the basin and was tied at the end of Arco Pier for temporary moorage. Typically the gate is reinstalled on the same high tide. Floating out the SR 520 pontoons will last three days requiring the gate to stay in moorage longer than usual. (BOTTOM LEFT) At high tide, the pontoons sit in water around 13 feet deep. (BOTTOM RIGHT) After the first pair of pontoons are floated out of the basin, four remain. These pontoons will be floated out in pairs over the next couple of days, with the help of high tides.
Visit our Web site at www.tacomadailyindex.com
INSIDE:
LEGAL NOTICES BANKRUPTCIES LIENS ORDERS FEDERAL COURT AUDITORS OFFICE NEW BUSINESSES editor@tacomadailyindex.com