Bridge Design and Interchange Improvements
Take a look at the award-winning NYSDOT Region 4 project that brought comprehensive bridge design and other improvements to the I-390 at I-490 interchange, which connects the region’s centers of economic activity.
Take a look at the award-winning NYSDOT Region 4 project that brought comprehensive bridge design and other improvements to the I-390 at I-490 interchange, which connects the region’s centers of economic activity.
The New York State Department of Transportation selected Cold Spring Construction Co., along with Erdman Anthony as lead design engineer, for the third and fourth phases of the I-390 interchange improvements at I-490 design-build project in Gates, New York. Prior to its transformation, the interchange was jammed, noisy, and worn.
The scope of the project’s third and fourth phases included four new bridges, new embankment for a new I-390 express southbound alignment, rehabilitation of the existing I-390 southbound pavement, rehabilitation of the I-490 pavement within the interchange, enhanced expressway lighting, traffic signal design, new noise walls, and reconstruction of a portion of Lyell Avenue.
Phase three encompassed the addition of an exit-only lane on I-390 to Chili Avenue, and the construction of the new I-390 flyover, a central component of the project that opened in September 2021 and allowed southbound through traffic to travel above the busy interchange and avoid merging vehicles entering and exiting the highway. Construction of the flyover involved building three new bridges to cross over I-490 eastbound, I-490 westbound, and associated ramps, including a newly reconfigured ramp connecting I-490 westbound to I-390 southbound.
The I-390 southbound bridge over I-490 eastbound is a 525-foot-long, three-span structure supported by fully integral abutments. The superstructure is a concrete deck on curved, continuous steel multigirders. The I-390 southbound bridge over I-490 westbound and the I-390 southbound over Ramp WN are both two-span structures. The latter two bridges are each 400 feet long, with continuous spans of 200 feet.
Additionally, the aging Buffalo Road (State Route 33) bridge over I-390 was replaced with a modern multigirder bridge to accommodate the new traffic pattern. Nearly 15,000 feet of new concrete sound walls were also added to mitigate noise impacts for nearby residents.
Phase four widened and resurfaced the roadway along Lyell Avenue (Route 31) between Route 390 and Howard Road, including the installation of new sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and drainage systems in the corridor.
The improvements through all four phases of the project revitalized deteriorated infrastructure, increased safety, minimized congestion, and reduced impacts to the neighboring properties. Numerous bridges were replaced or rehabilitated; vehicular conflicts caused by weaving traffic patterns were reduced; and noise abatement was achieved.
Furthermore, the design-build team lengthened three bridges to decrease the amount of fill needed for the project, which resulted in lower truck emissions during construction.
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Sustainable Design Impact
Gas-guzzling idling and tie-ups are now far less common at the interchange due to its improved design, and the design-build team’s decision to lengthen three bridges instead of bringing in a massive amount of fill reduced truck emissions during construction.
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Awards
2021 Project of the Year Awards
Transportation Greater than $75 Million Category from the Genesee Valley Branch and the New York Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA)
ABCD Western New York Chapter
2022 Bridge Award over $10 Million
2023 ACEC Engineering Excellence
National Recognition Award
2023 ACEC New York Engineering Excellence Diamond Award
Category H: Transportation