This project, which consists of two side-by-side bridges, is located midway between Reno and Carson City in Northern Nevada.  The bridges are unique concrete arch structures located on a new alignment (I-580) that bypasses the current badly congested I-395. This new alignment requires spanning a deep desert canyon. Each bridge consists of six approach spans and a 210 meter arch span across Galena Creek. When completed, it will be one of the longest and highest concrete arch bridges in the United States.

NRV is assisting the bridge contractor (CC Myers, Inc.) with construction engineering that will allow the bridge construction to get back on track after the previous bridge contractor was unable to complete the project due to constructability problems. An innovative construction approach was developed that utilizes temporary structural fill in the canyon. This has allowed the bridge to be built on conventional falsework rather than the steel pilot truss that was originally conceived by the bridge designers. NRV’s duties were to redesign the arch to eliminate the pilot truss, design the falsework that was up to 50 meters high, and provide construction stress analysis and geometric control that allowed the bridge to be constructed in several stages. This bridge is currently on schedule to be finished in 2011.