The bridge which carries SR 397 northbound over Toms Bayou in Okaloosa County, Fla. had reached the end of its lifespan. DRMP was tasked with designing a new bridge and new roadway approaches while allowing traffic to continue flowing as the outdated bridge was removed.

To meet current and future traffic needs, DRMP’s structural engineers designed a new bridge with eight 72-foot spans and two 54-foot spans for a total bridge length of 684-feet. The superstructure consists of Florida-I 36 Beams with a cast-in-place composite reinforced concrete deck. The superstructure is supported on 24-inch piles. The deck accommodates two 12-foot lanes, an 8-foot shoulder, and a 5-foot barrier-protected sidewalk. DRMP’s work did not affect the southbound bridge (Bridge No. 570019) which is constructed immediately adjacent to the northbound bridge.

In addition, the roadway approaches will be reconstructed and resurfaced at the bridge approaches to provide a smooth transition from roadway to bridge. DRMP engineers developed a unique maintenance of traffic scheme that involved a 3-lane concept in-lieu of maintaining the existing 4-lane configuration. DRMP engineers accomplished this by using the southbound bridge to maintain traffic. The 3-lane concept involves the center lane as a reversible lane that accommodates peak traffic demands.

Because of DRMP’s multi-discipline approach, the newly designed and constructed bridge will continue serving drivers traveling in Valparaiso, Fla. as they cross over Toms Bayou.