Photo By Sara Goodeyon | At center, Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz and Principal Deputy and...... read more read more
EUFAULA, Okla. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Tulsa District held a ribbon cutting ceremony March 31, 2023, to mark the completion of the replacement of the Eufaula Dam Spillway bridge and the theme of the celebration was partnership.
Tulsa District worked with the Federal Highway Administration, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the University of Oklahoma on the three-year project that incorporated innovative construction solutions.
“This bridge project is a reflection of what we’re all about in Tulsa District. We’re about trusted people, with strong partnerships delivering quality projects. Those strong partnerships made this project happen,” said Tulsa District Commander Col. Tim Hudson during remarks at the event. “Many thanks to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation for partnering with us to resource and energize this project. Thanks also to our great construction contractor Mobley Construction for finishing a challenging project with unique engineering and concrete requirements and they did it on time so this community can enjoy this bridge.”
Mobley coordinated with Royce Floyd, an engineering professor from the University of Oklahoma on the use of Ultra High-Performance Concrete to essentially weld concrete panels together. With the completion of construction, the bridge over Eufaula Dam now has the highest concentration of UHPC in Oklahoma. USACE project engineer Levi Rundell said the UHPC concrete is poured between prefabricated bridge panels, and it glues them together. The concrete can withstand more than 20,000 pounds per square inch of pressure compared to the 4,000 to 7,000 pounds psi of typical construction concrete.
Guest speaker Jaime Pinkham, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, spoke about the importance of construction innovation and partnerships on future projects.
“Innovation and partnerships will matter moving forward. There is always more we can do and let’s do it through partnerships because one thing I’ve learned during my time with the Corps of Engineers is that partnerships matter,” said Pinkham. “We can’t do it without you because this is about us binding together as neighbors, as partners, to protect the people we love, to protect our neighbors, and to protect the places we call home.”
Pinkham noted that one of the five focus areas laid out by Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Mike Conner is to deal with infrastructure issues through partnerships because they allow for collaboration, shared expertise and vision that is aligned with the USACE mission.
“Believe me, if it wasn’t for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, we wouldn’t be here celebrating this today,” said Pinkham. “It’s really a testament to the depth of the partnership and the willingness to go above and beyond.”
The ASA (CW) is responsible for overseeing programs and policies for conservation and development of the nation’s wetlands and water resources, flood control, navigation, and ecosystem restoration.
Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz also spoke at the ceremony telling the assembled guests that the success of these partnerships and projects do not happen by accident but are the result of the investment levels of all parties that help to sustain the relationships for the long term over many years. That partnership is responsible for the Eufaula Dam Spillway Bridge replacement.
“This happened because we have developed relationships with our partners in the Corps of Engineers over many, many years. Those relationships are what sustains success and that is something that doesn’t happen by accident,” said Gatz. We’re extremely proud of the results we see from our partnership with the Corps and the results are what you just drove across maybe on your way here this morning.”
The U.S. Congress authorized Eufaula Dam in 1946 by with the Rivers and Harbors Act. Tulsa District designed and built the project under USACE supervision. The project is enjoyed for recreation by thousands of people annually, it reduces flood risk, generates clean hydropower, provides drinking water, water released from the dam serves the McClellan Kerr Navigation System to the east, and energizes the local economy.
(Brannen Parrish contributed to this article)
| Date Taken: | 04.06.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 04.06.2023 12:58 |
| Story ID: | 442163 |
| Location: | OK, US |
| Web Views: | 266 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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