New Bridge Over Manistee River

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Super Chief
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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Anybody know if this got approved by the govenor? Does she control MDOTs budget totally?

Raildudes dad
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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The Governor does not control the MDOT budget. The governor appoints the State Transportation Commission - staggered multi year terms. The gas and weight tax is collected and distributed by statute. The governor can approve or veto legislative appropriations out side of the gas & weight taxes. Federal funds come to MDOT to be distributed via federal rules / regulations. Without looking, I assume it's still in their budget.

Super Chief
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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There was a piece on M-live that she slashed a $6 million railroad grade project and $34 million freight dollars and re directed it to passenger rail. They're still negotiating this budget so will see.

AANscaleRunner
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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There was a crew at the bridge taking core samples while I was chasing the GLC this morning.

Super Chief
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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They did get the funding as the RFQ was issued December 10th. Completion expected 2022. Contractor to supply flagman during construction and can't totally close line in excess of 7 consecutive days to provide service to customers.

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MQT1223
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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Super Chief wrote:They did get the funding as the RFQ was issued December 10th. Completion expected 2022. Contractor to supply flagman during construction and can't totally close line in excess of 7 consecutive days to provide service to customers.
Good to hear!
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996. :)

GP-35
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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What is RFQ, and is there a start date? could you please put up a link or MDOT web page, I cant seam to find it. Thank you

Raildudes dad
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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Read to your hearts content. Looks like a modified design build.
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot ... 3463_7.pdf

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DaveO
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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Raildudes dad wrote:Read to your hearts content. Looks like a modified design build.
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot ... 3463_7.pdf
Seeing the word innovation in a MDOT document concerns me.
When MDOT uses innovation while building roads and bridges, it seems like they need to be replaced far sooner compared to the ones built without innovation.
On the other hand, this is a rail project and the GLC will be the person looking over their shoulders.

Raildudes dad
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

Unread post by Raildudes dad »

This is modified design build. An Engineer, Bergman, has been chosen to begin the preliminary design plans. This RFQ is to chose a contractor or a joint venture to join the team to come up with the best design including construct-ability. This a remote site without good access. The contractor is to estimate the cost using standard MDOT pay items. MDOT is allowed to negotiate with the contractor for a build cost. If MDOT and the contractor can't agree on a price to build, MDOT can bid it the conventional way. The contractor chosen for this RFQ can bid it then as well.
This should give MDOT a good design for construction as well as long term maintenance.

Super Chief
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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Any updates or activity around the bridge lately. MDOT highway contractors are out and about with the warm weather spell. Wondered if anybody snowmobiling or 4 wheeling had seen anything?

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DaveO
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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I think this will likely get delayed.
Covid-19 seems destined to impact state revenues and expenditures.

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KingsleyRailFan
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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I was out there in the beginning of January hiking on the trail near it and nothing had changed. There were some survey stakes up but they looked like they'd been there for a while.
Consistently confused

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MQT1223
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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KingsleyRailFan wrote:I was out there in the beginning of January hiking on the trail near it and nothing had changed. There were some survey stakes up but they looked like they'd been there for a while.
As mentioned, its probably delayed due to Covid-19.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996. :)

Super Chief
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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Any updates on bridge project?

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DaveO
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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Super Chief wrote:Any updates on bridge project?
As of 2/11/20 Kiewit Infrastructure Co. was selected to lead the project.
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot ... 0953_7.pdf

I would suspect most major projects (government/business/etc.) where funds haven't already been contractually committed will be put on hold.
If some special need exists for a project to continue, those probably will.

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Standard Railfan
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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The project is on schedule in the design phase.

The Construction Manager/ General Contractor (Kiewit) has been selected and will participate in the design of the project.

I believe construction is planned for 2021.

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MQT1223
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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Standard Railfan wrote:The project is on schedule in the design phase.

The Construction Manager/ General Contractor (Kiewit) has been selected and will participate in the design of the project.

I believe construction is planned for 2021.
Has any clearing started?
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996. :)

Alex Huff
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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It is about time the deck pin-truss bridge was replaced. My faint recollection is that it is well over 100 years old. The wooden pile section on the south end dates back to circa 1980 when an arsonist set fire to it. Fire damage extended onto the ties above the pin truss which caused some concern and resulted in the 10 mph speed limit. It will be interesting to see what design is accepted.

In 2019, the Big Sioux River, the boundary between Iowa and South Dakota south of Sioux Falls, had a much more destructive than normal spring ice break-up combined with heavy snow melt. A 100+ year old through truss span was lifted off its piers by ice jamming beneath it. The bridge had been built by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, later the Milwaukee Road. It tipped into the river, recorded at a distance by a parking lot security camera. The replacement, a standard concrete ballast tub design supported by steel H beam piers, cost about $6.5 million and included approaches. The precast concrete components , three right sides, three left sides and four bridge caps were trucked in. Approaches were steel H-beams supporting concrete caps on which were laid wooden stringers and crossties. The contractor's target was to have the bridge complete by August 15th. He achieved that, notwithstanding some delays caused by subsequent flooding. In the meantime, the railroad operated a few trains on a roughly parallel route to the east on the BNSF, but found it more effective to serve all its customers from both ends.

Alex Huff

Super Chief
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Re: New Bridge Over Manistee River

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I ran into an Alex Huff at Pizza Ranch in Ft. Pierre SD after looking at his collection of engines at Chamberlain SD. It was right after a straight line wind thunderstrom event as all the silos were blown down in the fields. Summer of 2015.

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