Kanawha River Bridge

When complete in 2010, the new Kanawha River Bridge’s 760-foot main span will be the longest concrete box girder span in the United States.

Finley Engineering Group, Inc. (FINLEY) is the construction engineering consultant to Brayman Construction Corporation on the new I-64 Kanawha River Bridge between Dunbar and South Charleston, West Virginia. When finished in 2010, it will carry eastbound traffic on an improved curved alignment as part of the widening of I-64 in Kanawha County.

FINLEY supplied support and construction engineering assistance to Brayman during the pre-bid phase of the project, and will provide full construction engineering services to the contractor for the construction of the bridge. These services include modification of plan details to improve constructability of the bridge, construction analysis and construction manual preparation, geometry control manual preparation, working drawings preparation, and design assistance of the temporary works required to build the bridge.

The project design includes the construction of seven piers – five on land and two on the edge of the river. In addition to the 760-foot main span over a navigational waterway, the bridge includes 460-foot and 540-foot side spans and five additional approach spans ranging from 144 feet to 295 feet.

When the bridge is finished, westbound traffic will remain on the existing steel plate girder bridge. The project is a major piece of a long-term project to alleviate congestion and improve accessibility on I-64 through West Virginia.