How to move a bridge?

[BrentD]

The bridge was originally over a county road. It was too narrow to support 2 lanes comfortably and after the county got a road grant, they removed all the old bridges. The bridge was removed from the county road in the last 10 years. One very similar to this has been moved to a local park to be used as a foot bridge over a creek that feeds a small lake.

As far as emergency vehicles go, the location where we're building the house is so incredibly remote that emergency vehicles are going to have a difficult time even finding the location, much less getting down the shared private road that leads to the property. There is a culvert over a creek down at the bottom of the hill that is basically an old oil tanker with the ends cut off then cover over with dirt. I would guess it is significantly weaker than this bridge.

 

[KWentling]

A 12' wide bridge would not afford 2 lane traffic for much of any vehicle other than motor cycles and bicycles. Inferior weight capacity was no doubt an issue too. So you aren't concerned with emergency vehicle accessibility, even though with GPS, finding you should not be a problem, but response times might still be long. Are you panning on insuring this house? I'm pretty sure the insurance company would be interested if in fact a fire truck can't get to your house. How about construction material loads. Concrete, sheetrock, shingles, etc. All pretty heavy loads. Most bridges like that, that I remember, had load ratings of 6 or 8 tons at best, if they were in good condition. And that one isn't. Sounds like you have already made your decision. Please consult an engineer first.

Kim

 

[BrentD]

Well, as for emergency services in our area, the local volunteer fire department can't afford GPS equipment, and when the neighbors on the same private road called the sheriff to report a theft, the deputy drove around for three days and couldn't find their house.

As for construction materials, there is another way for them to reach the site, at least until we allow the lake to fill up. Our insurance agents pretty much accept that when you build a house in the middle of nowhere.

Anyway, the point is probably moot right now. Looks like it's going to be easier to just gravel the spillway and hope the lake doesn't overflow too often. Unless weather patterns seriously change an overflow will probably be a once a decade event anyway.

And as the spill way is, emergency vehicles still won't be able to cross due to the terrain. Probably going to have to trade the car for something 4 wheel drive.

 

[LD1]

I have to say that I agree with others here. Get a PE to look it over first. Unless the prices is ~scrap price, I'd pass without the approval/certfication of a PE.

And if everything checks out, I'd dissassemble for moving.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

.....besides, if you lose a bunch of money on the deal, do you really want to go through life having to say;" Someone sold me a bridge for cheap"?

 

[karverind]

Better call your insurance guy. Might not insure against fire if the trucks cant get to the house..

 

[KWentling]

Better call your insurance guy. Might not insure against fire if the trucks cant get to the house..

He already said they can't find his property anyway. Fire department too poor to buy GPS. Maybe I should send them my old Garmin hand held.

Kim

 

[Rhinorider]

I couldn't agree more in having a PE giving his blessing, and checking on the insurance issue. You haven't said where you are located but here is a thought if you do decide to move it. If you live in natural gas well country contact one of the contractors that move the drilling rigs. Those trucks are setup just for this sort of thing. Most have 120k lb winches mounted behind the cab of the tractor, they pull 40ft float trailers that have a big roller mounted on the back of the trailer. They run the winch cable back across the trailer and hook to the load, then winch the load up over the roller and on to the trailer. Very quick, 5 min to load, bind it down and on the road. Going rate for a truck like that around here is around $80/hr.

 

[kubotakid USA]

Iam guessing the bottom of the bridge is going to be 4-5 feet from the ground?? Anyway, you could poor a cement pillar in the middle and add about 50% capicity to your overall rating, If you do it your self, Pretty simple, a cardboard tube , rerod and a couple yards of crete, oh yea, and a cross member to set on top of the pillar, It wouldnt cost much, I look at this project as more about landscaping,.. Rather than, What would be the cheapest way to cross the creek, so to speek, Good Luck, Eric

 

[The Haymaker]

Just put it up on 9' posts and sign it for 8'4". Some Swift driver will be along shortly to move it for you.

 

[PILOON]

Is this the Brooklyn bridge?

Did he offer it to you for $1.00?

 

[LD1]

Iam guessing the bottom of the bridge is going to be 4-5 feet from the ground?? Anyway, you could poor a cement pillar in the middle and add about 50% capicity to your overall rating, If you do it your self, Pretty simple, a cardboard tube , rerod and a couple yards of crete, oh yea, and a cross member to set on top of the pillar, It wouldnt cost much, I look at this project as more about landscaping,.. Rather than, What would be the cheapest way to cross the creek, so to speek, Good Luck, Eric

Good Idea but wrong numbers.

Adding a center support cuts the span in half. It will increase the load capacity by WAY more than %50. It is actually more like 400%, or 4:1 if the span is cut in half. Provided the supports can handel the load.

 

[BHD]

I my self would not pay more than local scrap price for that, that way if it does not work out all your out is the moving of it,
don't forget to figure in the cost of decking the bridge as well,


you could check in to a old semi flat bed trailer as well, remove the axels and have a bridge, (narrow but a bridge), would most likely be easer to widen a flat bed, (mostly for peace of mind) than need,

 

[jetboat]

Just a thought, you say that you might just throw down some gravel... why not pour a concrete pad over the top of the spillway. Then use the sides of the bridge as sides so it looks like you have the bridge. Would give you looks and a good driving surface.

 

[boggen]

sounds like a whole lot of work. and a lot more cash to dump into this thing before all said and done.

get yourself a large culvert. move in dirt around the culvert and over top of it. and be done with it.

============
house moving company in your area. would be folks to call. as someone else said. they should have the running gear, hydraulic jacks, etc... to lift it up and move it.

with others get a "engineer" involved. before ya get to far along.

 

[BrentD]

you could check in to a old semi flat bed trailer as well, remove the axels and have a bridge, (narrow but a bridge), would most likely be easer to widen a flat bed, (mostly for peace of mind) than need,

The bridge is already sitting on a fated semi trailer.

I had considered pouring a center support, but something I probably should have mentioned early on is that the spillway is only about 2/3 the length of this bridge across so we'd have about 1/3 of the bridge on solid ground. The other issue with a center support is that it could become a brush/debris catcher in flood conditions when it would be running and create a danger of wash-out.

 

[kubotakid USA]

Good Idea but wrong numbers.

Adding a center support cuts the span in half. It will increase the load capacity by WAY more than 50. It is actually more like 400%, or 4:1 if the span is cut in half. Provided the supports can handel the load.

Yea probably more than the 50% number I threw out there, I always over engineer sum so i dont have to worry about nit pickers sayin that aint quite good enough, and the way your overhead is designed, It wont be 4 to 1 unless you run a stiff leg up in the center, which would be simple to do, I was thinkin about 16/18 in dia collum, shouldent affect much but tree branchs

 

[Taylortractornut]

Yall give up too easy. Id weld a 5th wheel kingpin in the froned end of it or a simple pintle hitch and haul tail earl on a Sunday with and escort. Theres no way a DOT officer will be up that early. I think and over width permit here for a day can be as low as 150 dollars. Ive moved alot of stuff biggerthan this the same way and my neighbors in the sonstruction business in the day used to to this to old rail cars for county bridges.. As for the strength If it held up county maintenace trucks going over it should be stron. I pour a middle support or 2 of them. To clean it out if any debris got in it you could build a catch grate or make the center beam pointed on the upwater side. To deck it I would contact a saw miller and get them to mill some telephone poles to make the decking.

 

[kubotakid USA]

Yall give up too easy. Id weld a 5th wheel kingpin in the froned end of it or a simple pintle hitch and haul tail earl on a Sunday with and escort. Theres no way a DOT officer will be up that early. I think and over width permit here for a day can be as low as 150 dollars. Ive moved alot of stuff biggerthan this the same way and my neighbors in the sonstruction business in the day used to to this to old rail cars for county bridges.. As for the strength If it held up county maintenace trucks going over it should be stron. I pour a middle support or 2 of them. To clean it out if any debris got in it you could build a catch grate or make the center beam pointed on the upwater side. To deck it I would contact a saw miller and get them to mill some telephone poles to make the decking.

TTN, H@ll Ya, :drink: Those, are call (special) SUNDAY permits, :laughing: Sounds like a plan, sign me up, :drink:

 

[BHD]

If you would pull it with a farm tractor, there is little in most instances they can do as it is then a farm item and usually falls under the farm exempt rules most states have for farm equipment,(licence plates and width rules), a flag car would still be recommended,
I realize the distance is the biggest obstacle for a farm tractor,