A 900-Ton Crane, Concrete Beams, and the Unstable Wetland

After launching construction for the new Port of Beaumont Overpass, our crew quickly encountered a multitude of challenges. As always, we met them head on, with tireless energy.

In an unstable wetland area that’s highly susceptible to flooding, building a temporary access road adjacent to the proposed bridge is, we assure you, no small feat.

While coordinating closely with the traffic schedules of the nearby railways, we were able to construct the access road using multiple layers of wood construction mats and base materials. All work done in the area met environmental requirements as well as safety regulations outlined by the Port of Beaumont and Jefferson Energy.

 

 

Another challenge we recently faced during the construction was the installation of concrete beams for the overpass, the largest of which weighed over 120,000 pounds and measured 127 feet long. To lift and set these beams required a 900-ton crane, a heavy obstacle in the flood-prone area.

Our team spent days assembling 151 wood truck mats and 60 wood crane mats to prepare for the on-site support of the crane as well as the trucks delivering the concrete beams. Once the project site was adequately prepared, we proudly partnered with Joyce Crane to assemble the 900-ton crane and set each of the concrete beams in place — a process that took four days in total.

 

 

All construction in the railroad vicinity requires a safety plan, crane loading analysis, and lifting plan to be approved by the Kansas City Railroad consulting engineers. All ongoing work under this approval has been monitored by the consulting engineers, as well as those for the Port of Beaumont. Contract compliance has been monitored by TxDOT.