Twin Cities bridge debuts 30-foot tall pollution-sucking sculptures
Two statues have debuted on Minnesota's new Interstate 35W Bridge that are shaped to look like the international cartographic symbol for water. Why? Besides mimicking the look of the Mississippi River as it passes through Minneapolis, the new sculptures are made from a type of concrete that is photocatalytic, meaning they will be able to convert gases like carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides and sulfur dioxide to higher oxidized states, making them less damaging to the environment. Another benefit of the new concrete mixture is that it never looks old as it maintains a white oxidized color on its outer skin. The opening of the new I-35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge also has a deeper meaning, since it replaces the one that tragically collapsed about a year ago from a structural failure. The new one was erected so fast because the original was used by over 140,000 cars per day. Despite how quickly it was built, the new bridge has a 100-year life span, supports ten lanes of traffic thanks to an extra 76 feet of width, and has shoulders on both sides where the old one didn't – not to mention it cleans the air with art. Thanks for the tip, Terry!
[Source: KTSP / Photo: David Joles, Star Tribune]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
P.V. 8:07PM (10/07/2008)
Awesome
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homunculus 10:11PM (10/07/2008)
ladies, cool your jets and watch your language while you're up there.
John 8:10PM (10/07/2008)
It looks cool and everything but should they really spend the money on something like this when the transportation infrastructure is still in such bad condition? I think the money is better spend on the less glamorous but more important bridge repairs else ware.
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Jj 9:09PM (10/07/2008)
I don't know if it is the case here, but public projects are often required by law to include works or art.
It is also sometimes a requirement to secure funding from certain sources.
TJ 9:38AM (10/08/2008)
They came in well under budget and amazingly ahead of time.
Read the article.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/transportation/4285220.html
The story behind the story of this 10-lane, 504-ft bridge is one of the most impressive infrastructure projects of the decade—the complete replacement of a major bridge in little more than a year, months before a deadline that was considered incredibly ambitious. When the team of FIGG Engineering, Flatiron Constructors and Manson Construction won the bid for the project, the date for reopening was set for December 24th of this year. During a visit to the construction site in February, we at Popular Mechanics asked everyone we came across, from taxi drivers to sandwich-shop waiters, whether it seemed like a realistic goal. No one was buying it. Minneapolis winters are too cold for construction, we were told. And why should anyone have faith in U.S. infrastructure when the I-35W had been deemed structurally deficient for years—one of more than 100,000 such bridges scheduled for major overhauls or complete reconstruction?
But FIGG, Flatiron and Mason pulled off the improbable, and delivered a new bridge in what appears to be an unprecedented time frame. Along the way, the company drew wide praise from infrastructure experts and fellow designers and contractors, employing as much innovation in its construction techniques as in its project management. Construction began well before the final design was completed, with teams of contractors working 12-hour shifts in brutal subzero temperatures. Three of those teams would drill shafts at the same time, instead of one. When conditions on the ground necessitated a shift in the overall bridge design, FIGG made the adjustments on the fly. By shaving off more than three months from the Christmas Eve deadline, FIGG, Flatiron and Mason have earned themselves a hefty bonus.
Their contract with the Minnesota Department of Transportation stipulated an extra $7 million if the bridge opened on time. An earlier opening would mean another $2 million for every ten days before December 24th, with a maximum of $20 million (plus the on-time award of $7 million) if cars were rolling across the St. Anthony Falls Bridge on September 15th. The deal was a doubled-edged sword: If the bridge opened late, the team would lose $200,000 per day. At press time, the Minnesota Department of Transportation had yet to announce the final bonus, but it seems likely that the team will receive either $25 million, or, provided there’s enough good will to forgive a few short days, the full $27 million. However that decision shakes out, the larger world of infrastructure is enjoying a rare piece of good news, and a structure that represents the best the industry has to offer.
Mi key 8:10PM (10/07/2008)
These sculptures seem pretty cool.
Hopefully this bridge will be better maintained than the earlier bridge was.
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DS 8:17PM (10/07/2008)
I vote we make all of our highways out of this
Always clean looking and helps our environment at the same time
Sounds good to me, "stained" roads have always kind of bothered me, I've never even driven on a "clean" highway
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swimstarguy 8:23PM (10/07/2008)
How much did that thing cost?
~Zar4
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ambientFLIER 8:29PM (10/07/2008)
They should have just installed a few giant Ionic Breeze machines instead.
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swimstarguy 8:52PM (10/07/2008)
That's actually what I thought it was at first.
^_^;
~Zar4
tankd0g 9:54PM (10/07/2008)
Am I the only one that think it looks like cartoon stink lines? :)
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eb110americana 9:35PM (10/07/2008)
This seems great, and if it isn't too cost prohibitive, it should be done on all outdoor concrete structures. It reduces pollution and remains clean in appearance.
What I wonder is, how are the products of the reaction distributed? If it can catalyze carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, and sulfur dioxide to release the oxygen, what happens to the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur? In a car's cat, this turns into water (H20), carbon dioxide (now being targeted as a greenhouse gas), and nitrogen gas. Sulfur is usually eliminated from fuel before-the-fact, as it tends to damage the cat and get converted into higher forms of sulfur oxides, which are found in acid rain. Here's a passage about catalytic converters in cars.
"Unwanted reactions, such as the formation of H2S (hydrogen sulfide) and NH3 (ammonia), can occur in the three-way catalyst. Formation of each can be limited by modifications to the washcoat and precious metals used. It is, however, difficult to eliminate these side products entirely."
I would be interested to know the details of it.
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s13hybrid 10:24AM (10/08/2008)
I would also like to know the structural qualities of this. What is the load rating? How long until it is completely cured? Could we add other materials to create a self healing effect like asphault? This is definitly a cool thing I did not know existed.
RockStoneSteel 9:41PM (10/07/2008)
Sounds like a bunch of green BS. If those sculptures only encounter passive airflow, their effect on the environment isn't even news worthy. Not to mention, when they get covered with plain old dirt, any chemical reactions will be even less significant.
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TheLance 9:43PM (10/07/2008)
I am from St. Paul and I use this bridge all the time..
This bridge was a waste of taxpayer money.. Letting the first bridge fall down was a waste of taxpayer money..
It's the damn safest bridge in the country!!
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BigTeebo 12:45AM (10/08/2008)
I don't think taxpayer money intentionally made a bridge collapse.
TheLance 9:43PM (10/07/2008)
Correction^^^
This Bridge was not a waste of taxpayer money.. Letting the first bridge fall down was a waste of taxpayer money..
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old blighty 7:40PM (10/16/2008)
It's not the concrete. It's a coating.
titanium dioxide is 'photocatalytic'. Effectively, just white paint.
Very gimmicky.
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PumaGTO 10:22PM (10/07/2008)
cincrete that cleans the air? Why nobody thought that before?
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BoneHeadOtto 8:58AM (10/08/2008)
dunno, guess nobody just aint that smarts no more