A.H. Beck installs 694 drilled shafts from depths up to 270 feet below working surface to replace the existing bridge on the Sam Houston Tollway.
The 4.1-mile long bridge will be built upon 694 Drilled Shafts ranging from 42-inch to 120-inch diameter and from depths of 55-foot to 270-foot below working surface. The project consists of replacing the existing bridge which has a total of 4 lanes, 2 lanes in each direction, to two bridges with 4 lanes each. This will provide double the volume of traffic in each direction. The existing bridge currently has a pylon within the Ship Channel and the new bridge will eliminate the existing bridge’s pylon from the water which will improve waterborne commerce and will require the suspension bridge to span more than 1,320-feet between the pylons. The two main pylons will boast 514-foot towers supported by 48 and 49 shafts measuring 8-foot in diameter, drilled to a depth of 270-feet below working surface. Portions of the main span foundations are under the existing bridge and require the reinforcing cages that weigh 165,000-pounds up to 195,000-pounds, to be spliced over the drill shaft excavation.
