Deseret News | Reader comments: A bridge too far? Not this one

Reader comments
A bridge too far? Not this one

Appreciates Highway Works of Art | 8:20 a.m. Sept. 28, 2007

Excellent article highlighting this amazing technology! The readers may be interested in which contractor is responsible for the actual construction of the bridge. That piece of information wasn't in the article for some reason. While UDOT is the customer, after investigation I found out that the general contractor and builder is Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction Company out of Draper, Utah. For those who don't know, I found out that R.L. Wadsworth is the contractor that creates all the artwork on the freeway exchanges such as that on the 12300 South freeway exchange and the 21st South SR-201 artwork at Redwood Road. Beautiful artwork? They are also re-doing the I-15 North Ogden to Weber freeway that has some of the most beautiful murals I've ever seen on a highway. Wow! Keep up the good work Wadsworth!

Anonymous | 9:03 a.m. Sept. 28, 2007

Wow, interesting! I'd like to see this!

Ty | 11:36 a.m. Sept. 28, 2007

I am a design engineer with Qwest communications. My group does all the Highway Relocations for the entire state. We work with UDOT on all the major roadway construction. About a year ago when I got the design plans for this project I was totally overwhelmed. We had 10 conduits attached to the old bridge with many copper cables and fiber optic lines in the conduits. With them taking out the entire bridge deck we had to figure out a way to move all of our existing facilities. It took us about 3 months to figure out how we were going to move all of our lines. Keep in mind that the lines that were attached feed pretty much everything on the east side of the bridge. All of the houses and surrounding businesses....cont...

Comments continue below

Ty | 11:37 a.m. Sept. 28, 2007

Cont....
My boss and I figured out how we were going to do this by boring 2 48" steel casing underneath the freeway to accommodate the 12-4" PVC conduits that would take all of our new communications lines. Anyway this bridge is one of the most amazing construction projects that I've been involved with. It's pretty amazing to me all of the engineering that has gone into this project. Not only by UDOT but all the other utility companies that had to work with UDOT to remove their facilities and relocate them. Rocky Mountain Power, Questar Gas, Qwest communications and other utility companies were involved. This is a pretty amazing engineering feet and I feel privileged that I was involved with this project.
Keep up the good work guys!

TK | 12:43 p.m. Sept. 28, 2007

I'm a Bridge Inspector... I'd love to see one of these...

steve | 12:45 p.m. Sept. 28, 2007

if udot is as good as penndot in PA sounds scarey

Interesting | 12:54 p.m. Sept. 28, 2007

Cool Concept! I hope things work out smoothly...

Kudos to the regular folks gutsy enough to use innovation and who continue to make this project happen... Shame on those (at least one who was quoted in the article) who will surely take their credit!

To steve | 9:08 p.m. Sept. 28, 2007

You're an idiot. Learn to spell.

Doug Smith | 7:24 a.m. Sept. 29, 2007

What is the additional cost versus benefit? Will we be on a Discovery Channel episode of monster moves? It is probably a lot of $ not to inconvenience the east side traffic.

Miss Bliss | 12:41 p.m. Oct. 31, 2007

The bridge was built this way so as not to inconvenience traffic. My husband was the foreman on this job, just under Bud Shumway, the superintendant. 4 months of hard work and long hours went into this bridge so the public could get on their way. Their completing the final stages now, and should have 4500 south open on friday? That is if everything goes as schedule and without complications.

Thanks to "Works of Art" for giving credit where it is due. I read many of the news articles and Ralph L. Wadsworth was never mentioned. Guess they got a little payback with the huge banners that were on the old and new bridges as they moved down the road!!!

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