Bridge girders installed for Huntsville Brownsferry Road widening

Contractors installed the last set of bridge girders on the SR-304/Huntsville Brownsferry Road widening project Friday in Limestone County.

The $13.3 million Rebuild Alabama project is transforming more than a mile of the former two-lane county road between US-31 and I-65 into a five-lane state route. The project includes construction of two bridges at Swan Creek and a four-barrel bridge culvert at Old Schoolhouse Branch.

Girders installed

All girders – large beams to support the bridge deck — are now in place on both bridges. Cranes lifted and set the last six concrete girders on the relief bridge east of Swan Creek on Friday.

Metal forms between concrete girder. A truck in the background, — Construction of the bridge over Swan Creek is more progressed than the relief bridge to the east. Metal forms to support the future concrete bridge deck have already been installed between the girders. Traffic can be seen on the south half of the bridge, which was constructed during the first phase of the project.

Sequence of construction

The south (future eastbound) half of the roadway, including half of each bridge or culvert, was substantially completed and opened to two-way traffic last fall. The old road was then closed, and contractors have since demolished the old pavement and bridges. They are now in the process of constructing the roadbed and bridges for the north (future westbound) half of the roadway.

The bridge at Swan Creek — The bridge under construction at Swan Creek. The long, horizontal beam is a girder. Girders rest on the cap above the bridge pier (visible at the edge of the creek) and support the deck, or riding surface, of the bridge.

Workers position boards and plywood on top of a large concrete structure. — Workers construct forms for a future concrete pour to add the top to a large bridge culvert at Old Schoolhouse Branch on SR-304/Huntsville Brownsferry Road.

Completion of the project is anticipated in spring 2025.

The overpass on SR-304 at I-65 Exit 347 was widened in an earlier, $2.8 million project.

UPDATED: 8/16/2024 to add video

Huntsville Brownsferry Road Widening

The old road has been removed and is prepared for paving.

Region/County	North/Limestone
Type of Work	Additional lanes/bridge construction
Route	SR-304
Projected Start	August 2021
Projected Completion	Spring 2025
Traffic Impact	Expect lane shifts and be prepared to merge near the U.S. 31 intersection and I-65 interchange.

This project is constructing additional lanes, turn lanes, intersection improvements, and interchange ramp modifications, including grading, drainage, pavement, bridge removal, bridges, bridge culvert, traffic stripe, and traffic signals on SR-304 (Old CR-24) from west of US-31 at Tanner to east of the I-65 Exit 347 interchange in Athens. The eastbound lanes have been constructed and…

Girders installed

Sequence of construction

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