LOS ANGELES—It would seem that the Port of Long Beach is pushing for innovation and modernization at every turn. Its Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement project is utilizing some innovative construction and design techniques, including a moving scaffolding system that has never before been used in bridge construction in the State of California. The new bridge will be significantly larger than the former bridge. It will stand 515 feet tall and 205 feet above the water, 50 feet higher than the old bridge, with is three traffic lanes moving in each direction, plus bike and pedestrian lanes. To found out about the construction innovation behind the new bridge, we sat down with Zeph Varley, senior engineer of the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project for the Port of Long Beach. Here, Varley talks about the vision and construction of the new bridge.

GlobeSt.com: This bridge is utilizing some interesting design and construction techniques. Give me an overview of the bridge construction and how it is different.

Zeph Varley: Fundamentally, the bridge has two main components with three principal construction components. There is the underground pile foundation, and between those foundations, there are support columns that go from the ground surface as high as about 160 feet as well as two signature tours that will stand 500 feet above ground. The third phase of the project is to build bridge span, and there are three different techniques used to build the bridge span. In simple terms, the bridge construction is concrete for the approaches and cable stay for the part of the bridge that goes over the water. Cable stay is different than a typical suspension bridge, which has two columns on either side and cables that support the bridge deck. In our case, a cable stay bridge is going to have two towers with cables that come down and support steel box girders that provide the roadway deck for a 1,000-foot span over the water and 500 feet on the back span. Those cable stays are actually supporting the bridge deck from the tower as opposed to a foundation, which is used for a conventional suspension bridge. Traffic is really going to notice the new bridge. You go from the ground surface to a structure, and then all of the sudden you are up on this spectacular cable bridge spanning over the water.

GlobeSt.com: You are also using a movable scaffolding system for the first time in the State of California to build the bridge. What is a movable scaffolding system, and why was it a good fit for the project?

Varley: It is a temporary scaffolding system that constructs the same type of concrete box girder bridge system that is done on conventional work, but it does it by clamping from one column to another without any footprint on the ground. That is significant in our case because of the height of going 100 to 150 up into the air. The machine can launch from one column to the next column and saves the contractor who is building it quite a bit of real estate on the ground. The contractor felt the movable scaffolding system was more efficient to build the bridge as it approaches the main span.

GlobeSt.com: Why is this the first time someone has used it in California.

Varley: The system is recent technology that has been used in China and Europe, and it was designed by a Scandinavian firm. It is perhaps best suited in more remote places or in places that have a much higher stand. The technology was originally developed for very high or steep locations.

GlobeSt.com: The bridge is significantly larger than the former Gerald Desmond bridge. Do you have the space to build it?

Varley: Since most of the bridge is constructed within the confines of the Port of Long Beach, the port owns much of the real estate that is actually required to construct a new bridge. On other public works projects, acquisition becomes a huge deal because you are taking property by imminent domain and kicking people out of their houses, but in this case, the port and city own much of the real estate, so finding space for the new bridge hasn't been an issue like it could be on other projects. That is the principal reason that the Port of Long Beach is the lead agency. Eventually, the bridge will become a Caltrans owned and operated bridge facility, but there is an agreement between the Port of Long Beach and the State Highway transportation department that the Port will go out and get all of the space necessary and contract with a design builder, but it is to be constructed to State Highway standards, and eventually, the state will take over.

GlobeSt.com: Where are you in the construction process, and when will the new bridge open?

Varley: We are at the point where we have most of the underground work done, and we are busily working on the near surface construction. We are on schedule for a 2018 completion.

LOS ANGELES—It would seem that the Port of Long Beach is pushing for innovation and modernization at every turn. Its Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement project is utilizing some innovative construction and design techniques, including a moving scaffolding system that has never before been used in bridge construction in the State of California. The new bridge will be significantly larger than the former bridge. It will stand 515 feet tall and 205 feet above the water, 50 feet higher than the old bridge, with is three traffic lanes moving in each direction, plus bike and pedestrian lanes. To found out about the construction innovation behind the new bridge, we sat down with Zeph Varley, senior engineer of the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project for the Port of Long Beach. Here, Varley talks about the vision and construction of the new bridge.

GlobeSt.com: This bridge is utilizing some interesting design and construction techniques. Give me an overview of the bridge construction and how it is different.

Zeph Varley: Fundamentally, the bridge has two main components with three principal construction components. There is the underground pile foundation, and between those foundations, there are support columns that go from the ground surface as high as about 160 feet as well as two signature tours that will stand 500 feet above ground. The third phase of the project is to build bridge span, and there are three different techniques used to build the bridge span. In simple terms, the bridge construction is concrete for the approaches and cable stay for the part of the bridge that goes over the water. Cable stay is different than a typical suspension bridge, which has two columns on either side and cables that support the bridge deck. In our case, a cable stay bridge is going to have two towers with cables that come down and support steel box girders that provide the roadway deck for a 1,000-foot span over the water and 500 feet on the back span. Those cable stays are actually supporting the bridge deck from the tower as opposed to a foundation, which is used for a conventional suspension bridge. Traffic is really going to notice the new bridge. You go from the ground surface to a structure, and then all of the sudden you are up on this spectacular cable bridge spanning over the water.

GlobeSt.com: You are also using a movable scaffolding system for the first time in the State of California to build the bridge. What is a movable scaffolding system, and why was it a good fit for the project?

Varley: It is a temporary scaffolding system that constructs the same type of concrete box girder bridge system that is done on conventional work, but it does it by clamping from one column to another without any footprint on the ground. That is significant in our case because of the height of going 100 to 150 up into the air. The machine can launch from one column to the next column and saves the contractor who is building it quite a bit of real estate on the ground. The contractor felt the movable scaffolding system was more efficient to build the bridge as it approaches the main span.

GlobeSt.com: Why is this the first time someone has used it in California.

Varley: The system is recent technology that has been used in China and Europe, and it was designed by a Scandinavian firm. It is perhaps best suited in more remote places or in places that have a much higher stand. The technology was originally developed for very high or steep locations.

GlobeSt.com: The bridge is significantly larger than the former Gerald Desmond bridge. Do you have the space to build it?

Varley: Since most of the bridge is constructed within the confines of the Port of Long Beach, the port owns much of the real estate that is actually required to construct a new bridge. On other public works projects, acquisition becomes a huge deal because you are taking property by imminent domain and kicking people out of their houses, but in this case, the port and city own much of the real estate, so finding space for the new bridge hasn't been an issue like it could be on other projects. That is the principal reason that the Port of Long Beach is the lead agency. Eventually, the bridge will become a Caltrans owned and operated bridge facility, but there is an agreement between the Port of Long Beach and the State Highway transportation department that the Port will go out and get all of the space necessary and contract with a design builder, but it is to be constructed to State Highway standards, and eventually, the state will take over.

GlobeSt.com: Where are you in the construction process, and when will the new bridge open?

Varley: We are at the point where we have most of the underground work done, and we are busily working on the near surface construction. We are on schedule for a 2018 completion.