County staff halt 91st Street bridge deck pour after beam-spacing, thickness errors

County staff told the Henry County commissioners that inspections before a planned deck pour on the Southeast 91st Street bridge revealed incorrect deck thickness and improper beam spacing, forcing the contractor to dismantle and reassemble parts of the structure.

A county staff member said the contractor had been preparing to pour the deck when inspectors found the deck thickness ‘‘was off’’ and later identified incorrect beam spacing. The county directed the contractor to remove the deck machine, rebar, deck panels and affected beams and to re-space the outside beams ‘‘to the correct spot’’ before rebuilding the bridge.

Staff emphasized the error was found before concrete was poured. ‘‘Once that deck’s poured, it’s a lot more money and a lot more time and a lot more frustration,’’ the staff member said, noting that catching the problem before pouring reduced projected added costs and schedule impacts.

Commissioners and staff discussed how camber (the designed arch of pre-stressed beams) and the use of temporary Styrofoam haunches to level panels can mask spacing errors for non-specialists. A speaker summarized the contractor’s explanation as the foreman having ‘‘read those plans wrong.’’

The county did not publish a revised schedule or cost estimate during the meeting; staff said crews were taking the affected portions apart and expected to reassemble them ‘‘in the next week or two’’ before resuming the deck pour.

The meeting record does not list a formal change order, dollar amounts, or a new completion date. County staff said they will update the commission when the contractor reassembles the deck and the pour schedule is firmed up.

The commission adjourned at the end of the session.