Figg Bridge Engineering | Chesapeake/Portsmouth, VA

This iconic project shows that American Engineering can tackle any challenge regardless of size.  This new bridge facility provided a much needed 1.5-mile connection over the Elizabeth River between the Cities of Chesapeake and Portsmouth.  Figg Bridge Engineers called on American Engineering to perform the extensive surveying and site engineering.

Our surveyors performed all vertical and horizontal control, property/boundary and topographic surveying, and set the horizontal and vertical geometric design for the entire bridge and approach roadway systems.  We also led the bathymetric survey efforts of the river crossing which included the location of any shipwrecks. This project also required significant utility identification, location, and avoidance.  Unique 3D easement exhibits had to be created of the air space of the bridge crossing over the railroad right of way.

American Engineering was responsible for all the geometric design of the bridge as well as the approach and other surface roadways affected. Our engineers led an extensive preliminary engineering phase to deal with the severe vertical geometric challenge of providing the required channel clearance over the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River while tying into the existing interchange of I-464 and Poindexter Street in Chesapeake.  Other horizontal and vertical challenges were in place because right-of-way could only be acquired from the City of Chesapeake and one property owner.

We played a major supporting and coordinating role in the acquisition of all property rights and environmental permits, and we managed to accomplish these tasks in a period substantially shorter than what is typical for such projects.