The Rich Street Bridge in Columbus, Ohio will replace a deteriorating 1914 earth filled concrete arch with a modern open-rib arch structure. The bridge is one of three crossing the Scioto River in the city's historic Civic Center. The configuration of the new structure was selected in responseto design criteria set by community representatives requiring that the bridge complement the adjoining bridges to form a "family" of arch bridges while respecting the architectural character of the Civic Center. The proposed bridge is a 5 span, 563 foot long structure supported on four lines ofarches. The arches are constructed integrally with the bridge's four girder lines so that the resulting structure behaves as a rigid frame. Both the arches and the girders consist of precast concrete segments constructed using high strength lightweight concrete. Railings, lighting and other architectural details will be modern in style reflecting the design of theCentral Ohio Science Institute and other recent buildings in the Civic Center.
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