Mill Creek Expressway Phase 5A (HAM-75-3.84) Design-Build

Cincinnati, Ohio

American Structurepoint was lead design engineer for Walsh Construction Company on this $86 million design-build construction project in Hamilton County. The project is along I-75 from Hopple Street to Mitchell Avenue and along I-74 to the interchange with I-75. The scope of work includes adding both a northbound and southbound I-75 through-lane, replacing the I-75 mainline pavement south of Ludlow Avenue, resurfacing the pavement north of Ludlow Avenue, and separating the combined sewer system within the ODOT right-of-way. This work included two conduits constructed under the existing railroad tracks by jack and bore methods. Work also included adding a second exit lane on the southbound exit to Hopple Street and the reconstruction of the I-74 EB Hopple Street ramps to I-75 to improve the ramp connectivity and level of service (LOS).

The project also included the rehabilitation and replacement of several structures. The eastbound I-74 structures over South Beekman Street, North Beekman Street and Elmore Street will have their existing decks removed and replaced. The structure over Spring Grove, Mill Creek, and the CSX/NS railroad tracks will be rehabilitated, including a new deck. The existing structure on the I-74 EB to I-75 NB ramp over I-75 mainline is to be removed and replaced with a new multi-span, curved steel girder structure. Both the I-75 mainline three-span structures over the ramp from Hopple Street to WB I-74 are to be replaced with a new single-span concrete beam structure.

Due to the widening of I-75, it was necessary to construct five new retaining walls along the corridor. The three southbound walls are to eliminate any impacts to the adjacent CSX/NS tracks. The two northbound walls will eliminate impacts on the adjacent local road (Streng Street) and minimize impacts to Mount Storm Park. New highway lighting, ITS, and traffic control was also included within the project corridor. Maintenance of traffic was critical in the design and construction of this project. Traffic was maintained at all times during construction in this heavily traveled corridor.

SURVEY
American Structurepoint partnered on the surveying for this project to obtain mobile mapping of the entire corridor. To supplement that mapping, we performed topographic surveys off pavement for slope tie-ins, located and inverted sewer structures, located utility evidence as well as railroad features, and staked the limited access rights-of-way for the entire project length. Processing of the survey data involved the merging of mobile mapping data, ground survey data and ODOT aerial mapping information.

ENVIRONMENTAL
This project also involved the separation of combined sewer facilities on Ludlow Ave near I-75. The sanitary sewer was separated, and a gravity sewer installed along Streng Street to existing infrastructure, while storm sewer was routed to the I-75 stormwater system. Also included in the project was a relocated combined sewer overflow structure, to upgrade the existing 16” underflow pipe to a 24” underflow pipe.

BRIDGE
The project also included the rehabilitation and replacement of several structures. The eastbound I-74 structures over South Beekman Street, North Beekman Street, and Elmore Street will have their existing decks removed and replaced. The structure over Spring Grove, Mill Creek, and the CSX/NS railroad tracks will be rehabilitated, including a new deck. The existing structure on the I-74 EB to I-75 NB ramp over I-75 mainline is to be removed and replaced with a new multi-span, curved steel girder structure. Both the I-75 mainline three-span structures over the ramp from Hopple Street to WB I-74 are to be replaced with a new single-span concrete beam structure. The project delivery type is design-build. The construction cost was $85 million. Our team worked hand-in-hand with the contractor to develop a cost-effective process and design for replacing the decks of four bridges on this project. The decks were replaced part-width and included heavy skews. Each phase of construction was analyzed to verify stability and stresses.