Innovative Bridge Pier Installation Using the Super Reach Attachment System: Insights from the design-build Jimmie Davis Bridge Replacement Project-PPT Presentation

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The Jimmie Davis Bridge Replacement is a $360 million design-build project in northwestern Louisiana. It includes a new four-lane bridge beside the existing bridge, which will be repurposed for pedestrians and cyclists.<br /><br />R.R. Cassidy’s scope covered foundations for three new piers in the Red River: 45 drilled shafts, arranged in three rows of five at each pier. The shafts are approximately 58.5 inches in diameter and range from 100 to 150 feet deep. Construction involved installing surface and permanent sacrificial casings, drilling the remaining sections with polymer slurry support, inspecting and cleaning each shaft, placing full-length reinforcing cages, and pouring concrete by tremie. Tight specifications and sequencing rules limited production to one shaft at a time.<br /><br />Working from a moving barge posed a major challenge. A conventional drilling rig could not reach all shaft locations while keeping the equipment and barge stable. The project team instead used a Super Reach Attachment mounted on a duty-cycle crane. Its extended reach allowed drilling across the work area without moving the crane’s base, while automated features supported consistent operations and reduced equipment stress.<br /><br />Other difficulties included changing river levels, flooding, and obstructions in the riverbed. The project demonstrated how innovative equipment, careful planning, and close coordination among designers, engineers, contractors, and manufacturers can address complex construction challenges.

Keywords

Jimmie Davis Bridge Replacement

northwestern Louisiana

design-build project

Red River

drilled shafts

bridge construction

Super Reach Attachment

barge drilling

polymer slurry

concrete tremie