As General Contractor on the Award Winning Ashton Road Improvements Project,* A.P. Construction, Inc. was faced with the problem of replacing a concrete arch culvert while maintaining access to an urban airport and four industrial businesses. The ultimate solution was found in erecting a structure comprised of ten free-standing precast segments, each 5' 2" wide located on Ashton Road over Wooden Bridge Run, Pennypack Creek, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The two-stage construction schedule called for a temporary roadway between the existing culvert and a relocated stream channel. On the 90-foot right-of-way, a width of only 26 feet was available for construction of the culvert with the temporary roadway.

In stage one, five segments of the culvert were placed in a single day, with traffic maintained on the existing structure until a temporary roadway could be built above the segments. Traffic then was transferred to the stage one segments, and the old culvert was removed. At that point, the second-stage footing was tied to the first-stage mat, and the remaining five segments were lifted into place.

*Award: The Best Bridge Spanning Less Than 65 Feet - Precast / Prestressed Concrete Institute