As part of a robust I-39/90 expansion project between the Illinois state line and Madison, Wisconsin, MSA provided construction engineering services to replace the Interstate 39/90 northbound and southbound steel girder bridges near the community of Newville. Both had been originally constructed in 1962 and had surpassed their service lives. They needed to be modernized to accommodate the upcoming interstate lane expansion, which would address increasing traffic counts along the corridor.

The project involved reconstructing two Interstate 39/90 bridges over the Rock River from two-lane structures with 5-foot shoulders to three-lane structures with 12-foot shoulders. The new northbound structure is a six-span bridge with an overall length of 718 feet, and the southbound structure is a six-span bridge with an overall length of 728 feet. The project also provides the ability to expand in the future with minimal impacts. The new bridge pier and abutment substructure units were designed and constructed to accommodate a potential fourth lane in each travel direction on the structures. This feature adds significant long-term value by setting the stage for future widening of the bridges to be achieved without additional environmental or construction impacts within the river corridor.  

The project team staged construction to maintain two lanes of I-39/90 traffic. The design also considered boat traffic on the Rock River through regular coordination with the Wisconsin DNR, which resulted in an extensive buoy system, orange safety signs at public and private boat launches, as well as a widely distributed boater’s brochure guide during the pier construction in the Rock River proper.