Just 13 miles north of Orlando, the US 17/92 and SR 436 intersection serves as a main route for 100,000 daily commuters as well as a major pipeline for motorists coming from Interstate-4, a major highway connecting Orlando to Florida’s East Coast. Before improvements, a commuter driving through this intersection during peak times (6 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 7 pm) would experience three traffic light changes (over a 10-minute wait). To alleviate traffic congestion, this $22 million design-build project was designed and constructed to provide a single-point urban interchange (SPUI) at US 17/92 and SR 436 and included optimizing triple-left turns under the bridge and upgrading stormwater systems. The project posed great challenges including accommodating the City of Casselberry's aesthetic expectations, meeting a tight schedule from FDOT and aiming to reduce project and long-term maintenance costs.
DRMP designed this SPUI that elevated four lanes of US 17/92 over SR 436 at what was previously an at-grade intersection. A 457-foot flyover bridge was designed for motorists to drive over SR 436 using concrete 96-inch deep Florida-I Beams (FIBs). The flyover bridge was configured in three, simply supported spans with a main span of 209-feet and two approach spans of 124-feet for a total bridge length of 457-feet. This groundbreaking bridge technology required the unprecedented delivery and installation of 13 of the longest single-piece prestressed concrete beams (209-foot) ever fabricated and installed not just in Florida but the United States. Each beam weighed 267,000-lbs. The new design concept allowed for the elimination of a beam line and shoring towers, simplified the overall traffic control plan, improved aesthetics, lowered maintenance costs and reduced beam fabrication and erection time.
This project is considered a community enhancing project accommodating a heavy volume of commuter traffic and providing a major pipeline to motorists coming from I-4. It was designed and constructed with a $2 million savings to the Owner and a 25 percent reduction of the project schedule. The installation of the flyover bridge has drastically improved motorists’ travel time saving an average of 5 to 10 minutes in their travel time.
Awards
2017 Merit Award in Engineering Excellence from American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
2017 Grand Award in Engineering Excellence from Florida Institute of Consulting Engineers (FICE)
2016 Prestressed Concrete Institute’s (PCI) “Design Award: Best Bridge with Main Span more than 150 Feet”
2016 “Best Project of the Year Award in Transportation - Structures Category” from Design-Build Institute of America - Florida Region
2016 “Best in Construction – Bridge” from Florida Transportation Builders’ Association (FTBA)
2016 I Build America Construction Impact Award Finalist
Key Facts
Location:
Florida
Client:
FDOT District Five
Size:
457-foot Flyover Bridge
Highlights:
Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI)
96-inch deep Florida-I Beams (FIBs)
Longest prestressed concrete beams in the United States
