Saugatuck River Bridge Rehabilitation

CTE is designing the rehabilitation of the Saga Bridge, a 458-foot railroad lift bridge in Connecticut, including new movable spans, bridge operation and mechanical drive systems, and a new counterweight pit to prevent twice-daily submersion by the saltwater high tide. CTE performed the engineering feasibility and economic analysis study and then designed the interim repairs to extend the bridge life for five years during which design could be completed and funding for a replacement structure could be put in place.  

The Saga Bridge carries the four-track electrified Metro-North Railroad over the Saugatuck River and Ferry Lane.  It also carries Amtrak's New York-Boston segment of the Northeast Corridor, a total of over 200 trains daily. Constructed in 1904 and rehabilitated in 1985, the bridge consists of a 458-foot long open deck structure with six spans. Four of the six spans are riveted built-up side-by-side two girder approach spans. The two main spans consist of a 98-foot-long Scherzer rolling lift bascule girder span and a 48-foot-long deck girder flanking span.