A new road bridge is now open in US capital Washington DC, improving capacity and safety in the city.
The new structure spans New York Avenue and provides the busy Ninth Street link into the city. Carrying up to 25,000 vehicles/day, including some 2,000 trucks/day, the bridge is a major transport connection into the Northeastern side of the city. The roadway for the new bridge is 15.8m wide, boosting capacity over the 34.4m wide structure it replaces. The pedestrian walkways are also wider than on the old bridge. The new bridge also features a centreline barrier that meets safety requirements and prevents the risk of cross-over collisions. This structure is made from high performance concrete and corrosion resistant steel has a design life of 75 years and replaces an aging bridge that was first opened to traffic in 1941 and which had proven unable to meet the traffic demands imposed upon it.
