Transportation I-75 Reconstruction Project E

In 2013, ODOT began the process of rebuilding and widening the I-75 corridor from northern Toledo (just south of the Michigan state line) all the way south to Findlay. Ultimately, Kokosing was awarded five of the nine separate contracts along this corridor, with the final (and largest) project including 3.2 miles of work.

The most notable component of this project is the reconstruction of the Maumee River bridge – which is nearly ½ mile in length and approximately 60-feet-tall measured from the river to the deck surface. Prior to any structural work taking place, Kokosing first had to build a causeway across the river (in water up to 24-feet-deep) and consisted of over 100,000-cubic-yards of material. After the first phase of the causeway was complete, Kokosing began construction on the new southbound bridge, continuing through most of 2020. Each of the new bridges consist of 11 piers sitting on drilled shaft foundations with shafts up to 84-inches in diameter – while the superstructure is comprised of 214 EA 7-foot-tall prestressed concrete beams with an average length of 166-feet. Once the new southbound structure is complete, traffic will switch onto the new bridge and subsequently begin demolition of the existing structure. Finally, the new northbound bridge will be constructed and traffic will be relocated to its final condition in 2023. In total, 19,600-cubic-yards of concrete, 5.6-million-pounds of reinforcing steel, and 5,000-linear-feet of drilled shafts were required for this bridge alone.

Aside from the river, there are eight other bridges throughout the job – many of which are over the CSX or Norfolk Southern railroads. Additionally, there are nine separate MSE walls, three temporary wire walls and five noise barriers that will all be constructed within the first few years of the project. Significant coordination with the US Army Corps of Engineers and railroads were required during ongoing reconstruction.