PROJECT DETAILS
Project cost: $12.8 millionConstruction start: Spring 2023
Estimated completion: Fall 2025
Contractors: TranSystems Corporation and Cornell & Company, Inc.
Commodore Barry Bridge Weld Investigation & Remediation
Project Overview
The Commodore Barry Bridge Weld Investigation and Strengthening Project is a structural assessment and enhancement initiative undertaken in response to federal mandates and recent national incidents involving fracture-critical bridge components fabricated with certain types of steel and welding techniques.
Following the closures of the Sherman-Minton Bridge (Indiana, 2011) and the Hernando de Soto Bridge (Tennessee, 2021) due to significant structural fractures, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) mandated a comprehensive review of bridges nationwide that were constructed before 1979 using similar materials and butt-welding techniques. The Commodore Barry Bridge meets this criterion, having been built in the early 1970s.
The project includes two primary phases:
- Phase 1 – Investigation and Planning: This phase involves advanced testing methods to examine key welded joints throughout the structure. More than 800 welds are evaluated to ensure the bridge aligns with modern safety standards and to identify areas that may benefit from supplemental reinforcement. This phase was completed in March 2024.
- Phase 2 – Repairs and Reinforcements: Informed by the inspection results, targeted steel reinforcements are implemented at specific locations to enhance structural performance and longevity.
This $12.8 million investment reflects DRPA’s strong commitment to infrastructure safety and keeping the region’s vital transportation links in excellent condition and to ensure the bridge remains strong, reliable, and safe for the thousands of people who use it every day.
What Motorists Can Expect
This is a complex, multi-year project that requires careful planning and staging to keep traffic moving on a bridge with only five lanes. The limited number of lanes makes it especially challenging to meet the needs of daily motorists while also accommodating essential construction work.
Motorists should expect periodic lane closures, temporary traffic stoppages, and reduced speed limits in construction zones. Please check traffic conditions before you travel, allow extra time, and consider alternate routes when possible. For updates on significant disruptions, sign up for travel text alerts.
Possible Weekday Intermittent Stoppages
Short traffic stoppages may occur in one or both directions for 15 minute intervals, 2-3 times daily between the hours of 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The temporary traffic holds are necessary to safely lift and install steel reinforcement plates overhead using cranes.
Wide Load Restrictions
Due to lane constraints during construction, wide load restrictions may be in effect for the duration of the project. For permits and additional information, please click here.
Photo Gallery
Commodore Barry Bridge Weld Investigation & Remediation
Commodore Barry Bridge Weld Investigation & Remediation
Commodore Barry Bridge Weld Investigation & Remediation
Commodore Barry Bridge Weld Investigation & Remediation
Close-up view of a typical bolted plate repair on the Commodore Barry Bridge — part of ongoing efforts to strengthen key structural components.
Commodore Barry Bridge Weld Investigation & Remediation
ADDITIONAL PROJECTS
DRPA strives to improve our service and facilities. To learn more about our current, upcoming and completed projects, click here.