A New Bridge and 4,000 Feet of Realigned Track Without Missing a Train

Replacing a railroad bridge over an active highway while keeping trains running requires the kind of coordination where design, construction sequencing, and railroad operations have to move as one. Our team designed a new single-span steel thru-girder bridge over US-2 for Cooper E80 train loading on a realigned track, allowing the Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad to maintain uninterrupted service throughout construction. The existing bridge superstructure was salvaged for future reuse by the railroad, a practical decision that added complexity to the demolition sequencing but delivered long-term value for the owner.

Pedestrian access along US-2 was preserved through a box culvert designed behind the new bridge abutment, a solution that minimized the bridge span while keeping pedestrians safely separated from both rail and vehicular traffic.

Designed Around the Railroad’s Standards, Not Just Ours

Beyond the bridge itself, our team led the design of approximately 4,000 feet of new track and embankment along the realigned corridor, along with rehabilitation of existing rail sections. Working closely with the Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad, we incorporated the railroad’s preferred track design standards, construction requirements, and operational considerations into every element of the final plans. Special provisions were developed specifically for track construction items to ensure the bid documents reflected the realities of building on and around an active shortline.

Railroad coordination drove this project from start to finish. Every design decision, from bridge geometry to embankment grading to construction phasing, was shaped by the understanding that the trains don’t stop while the work gets done.