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$5 Million Bridge Painting Up for Bid

Friday, September 2, 2011

Bids will be accepted Sept. 9 for painting and related work on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers swing bridge in Rock Island, IL—a painting contract valued at up to $5 million.

The project involves touch-up painting on multiple parts of a Rock Island Arsenal steel bridge, known as Structure 320, that is more than 100 years old.

USACE

The bridge, known as Structure 320, is more than 100 years old.

The bridge is a transportation link for trains, cars and pedestrians across the Mississippi River and its navigation channel.

The two-level bridge, with rail crossing on the upper level and vehicular and pedestrian traffic below, crosses the Mississippi near Locks and Dam 15.  A swing span opens and closes to accommodate river traffic. Closures during painting will have to be coordinated and planned well in advance, as most of the work is on the swing span itself.

Project Details

The project includes spot-blast cleaning some areas of structural steel to a Near-White finish; in other areas, only overcoating with a coal-tar epoxy coating will be required, depending upon the existing coating system’s condition as tested by the contractor.

Due to the style of the bridge, there are intricate pieces of steel joined together, creating multiple faces to be painted in each work area. Items to be painted are not to be disassembled.

The existing coatings are not anticipated to contain lead.

SSPC-QP 1 certification is required. The contractor must employ a NACE-certified inspector to provide coatings inspection services.

The project must be completed by Sept. 1, 2012.
 
Reported by Paint BidTracker, a construction reporting service devoted to identifying contracting opportunities for the coatings community. Visit us on Facebook!

Comment from Richard McLaughlin, (9/6/2011, 9:53 AM)

Good luck to whomever get this.....

Comment from Chuck Pease, (9/12/2011, 7:24 PM)

mhhh 100 year old bridge and no lead

Comment from Tom Schwerdt, (9/14/2011, 8:40 AM)

We just had a 1964 USACE-built bridge repainted, no lead. They had originally used a Fed-spec (no-lead) vinyl system which lasted for 40 years or so.

Comment from Richard McLaughlin, (9/14/2011, 9:47 AM)

My warning comes from knowing the bridge and what was involved with the last painting project. I drive by it at least twice a day. The Devil is in the details. This is a center-swing span system with barge, automotive and train traffic. The train traffic is mostly unscheduled. Even the most careful planner would want to take a good look at that before bidding.