Rich Street Bridge Receives Two National Awards
COLUMBUS, Ohio –The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) has selected the Rich Street Bridge in Columbus, Ohio to receive two awards in its 2014 Design Awards competition.
Designed by Burgess & Niple (B&N), the Rich Street Bridge received PCI’s All Precast Solution Award, which is presented to the structure where client needs were best met by using an all precast/prestressed concrete system.
The Rich Street Bridge also was chosen as the winner in the category of Bridges with a Main Span from 76 - 149 Feet. Detailed information about the winning design and bridge photos are featured on the PCI website.
Precast Design
The Rich Street Bridge is a modern rib arch structure that opened in 2012. It features
five spans and three lanes, architectural lighting, and plazas for use during festivals
and community events.
The B&N team chose precast concrete for the design because it allowed for greater speed and efficiency of construction, was a lower cost option and had greater expected durability than cast-in-place concrete. By using precast concrete – instead of cast-in-place concrete as originally planned – construction was shortened by seven months and estimated project costs were reduced by $10 million.
The use of precast concrete provided distinct advantages when incorporating bridge aesthetics. Because precast concrete is more readily shaped and finished compared to other materials, the bridge was easily sculpted to achieve the desired architectural style.
B&N teamed with Leonhardt, Andrä und Partner and bridge architect Fred Gottemoeller to create the iconic bridge. The project has received a total of nine awards, including the two PCI Design Awards.
About PCI
PCI is the foremost developer of standards and methods for designing, fabricating,
and constructing precast concrete structures. For more than 50 years, PCI’s Design
Awards program has showcased unique and outstanding precast projects in the transportation
and building industries. Projects from the United States, Canada and Mexico are
eligible for entry.