I-480 Valley View Bridge construction continues with the use of RJ Watson Disktron Bearings
The Walsh Group/CH2M (now Jacobs Engineering Group) design build team was awarded this project by the Ohio Dept. of Transportation in 2017 for $227.7 Million. Thanks to the cost effective design, and the long term durability of our Disktron bearings, RJ Watson Inc. was selected to design and manufacture the bearings for the structure.
The center lane is now open as construction moves along on the I-480 Valley View Bridge over the Cuyahoga River Valley in Independence, Ohio. Work will continue to rehab the two existing structures and once finished, the structure will carry six lanes of traffic in each direction.
133 RJ Watson Disktron bearings have been installed to support the approximately 170,000 vehicles that cross daily. The Disktron bearings are designed to handle a vertical load between 370 – 1,530 kips, and service rotations ranging from .018 – .025 radians. The RJ Watson non-Guided Expansion Bearings offer 5” – 9” of longitudinal displacement and 3” of transverse displacement, while the Guided Expansion Bearings offer 9” – 24” of longitudinal displacement.
The project is expected to be complete in Summer, 2024. This project is Ohio DOT’s largest active construction project, and the 4th largest in the history of Ohio DOT. One of the most recovered endangered species, Peregrine Falcons, nest under the bridge.