Cleveland's Innerbelt Bridge - "Shaping a New Skyline"

The Cuyahoga River valley is full of activity with the on-going construction of the largest ODOT contract ever awarded, the new westbound I-90 viaduct bridge. The new bridge will be one of two spans eventually built to replace the aging span opened over 50 years ago. The bridge is being built utilizing the design build delivery system, where construction and design are being done concurrently. Walsh Construction Co. and HNTB are the designer/builder of this unique project.

Although this is a bridge project, there is a considerable amount of approach work in Tremont and near Progressive Field to tie-in the new bridge to the existing highway alignment. A new extension of E. 9th Street and Broadway Rd. are also required for this project, which produced a scope of work that fits our capabilities well.

The scope of work includes building demolition, regulated materials removal, and most roadway elements, including clearing, pavement removal, erosion and sediment control, grading, storm and waterline installation/re-location, underdrains, and 304 subbase. We are also involved with structures, including all the excavation and backfill for the new viaduct bridge foundations and other I-90 mainline structures, constructing MSE retaining walls, and re-placing sheet pile bulkheads on the Cuyahoga River.

Building demolition began in mid-February of this year and has included removal of the large cold storage building, the heavily reinforced 12-story concrete structure visible from I-90. To accomplish this task, Independence Excavating utilized heavy demolition equipment, including the popular Cat 245B Hi-Reach excavator, a truck crane equipped with a wrecking ball and other excavators with processing attachments. All of this was necessary to remove nearly 30,000 cubic yards of reinforced concrete and progress the west side slope re-construction. To complete the preparation of that area, our scope includes the "unloading" of approximately 220,000 cubic yards of material from Abbey Ave. to the river below. This will allow the construction of the foundations for the new bridge in Tremont and also remove an unstable slope on the existing bridge. This milestone is slated for completion by year's end.

Independence Excavating would like to thank all partners involved in making this a very busy 2011 on this historic project.