BNSF Canadian River bridge design

Project Summary

Hanson provided design, permitting and construction engineering services to BNSF Railway for a 1,374-foot-long railroad bridge over the Canadian River located north of Canadian in Hemphill County, Texas. The bridge was part of a capacity improvement project that added a second main track to BNSF's track between Canadian, Texas, and Waynoka, Okla.

The superstructure required a 49-foot prestressed concrete box beam at the end spans with 12 intermediate spans using 106-foot steel plate girders. All piers were reinforced concrete walls with footings supported on steel H-piles.

The team conducted a structural analysis of the piles supporting the piers for adequacy under the predicted scour of 28 feet, eliminating the need for costly riprap protection.

Temporary causeways were used for the foundations at the Canadian River, which required permitting and coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife.