BAM subsidiary awarded second major contract on Oakland Bay Bridge in California

The contract is worth in excess of €150 million, of which Flatiron’s share is more than €40 million. The new fixed link between San Francisco and Oakland will have five traffic lanes in each direction and a cycle track plus footpath with viewing points. The foundation project is scheduled for completion in April 2007.

The latest contract involves the construction of the foundation footing (Pier T1) for the single bridge pylon, which will tower around 175 metres, carrying the cables of the self-anchored suspension bridge spanning the navigation channel. The foundation works comprise a reinforced concrete pier 28 metres long, 24 metres wide and 7 metres thick. The foot of the pier will rest on 13 foundation piles approximately 75 metres in length, penetrating deep into the bedrock. The contract on behalf of client Caltrans also covers the construction of the foundations for the pier supporting the eastern end of the self-anchored suspension bridge deck (E2).

Together with the same joint-venture partners (Kiewit and Manson Construction) Flatiron is already building another important part of the Oakland Bay Bridge, namely the 2.1-kilometre ‘skyway’ section. The contract value for this part of the project is around €1 billion, of which €270 million is the American BAM company’s share. Work on the skyway is in full swing. The superstructure will be a balanced cantilever construction with 452 pre-cast segments ranging in weight from 480 to 780 tonnes. The 28 pier footing boxes, which again stand on piled foundations, are being prefabricated in Texas and shipped to California via the Panama Canal. Weighing in at 1,200 tonnes, these components are being lifted into place by a specially built floating catamaran barge crane.

Further information:

A.C. Pronk, +31 (0)30 659 86 21