Client:   Delaware Department of Transportation Location:   Wilmington, Delaware Services:   Structural Engineering

Arching gracefully across Brandywine Creek in the heart of Wilmington, Delaware, the newly restored VanBuren Street Bridge conceals a modern structural rehabilitation in a design true to the City's rich architectural heritage. The two-year restoration, completed in August 1998, marks an impressive collaboration of State and local officials, area residents, and engineering and construction professionals united in preserving the elegant structure.

Built in 1903, the bridge approached the end of its structural life in the mid-1990s and required extensive repairs. Since the bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) sought to restore rather than replace the structure and elected KCI Technologies to develop rehabilitation plans. Working with the Delaware State Historic Preservation Office, City of Wilmington Preservation Planner, New Castle County Department of Parks, and Friends Society of Brandywine Park, DelDOT devised and KCI implemented an innovative approach for incorporating a new five-span, prestressed concrete bridge inside the existing seven-span arch bridge facade. This scheme allowed engineers to restore the load carrying capacity of the bridge, while retaining the structure's historic character and aesthetic features.

Constructing the New Superstructure—KCI engineers surveyed the site and converted imperial measurements from the bridge's original plans into metric units to develop accurate base plans for the project. KCI also created a precise fill-removal sequence to help contractors remove soil from the arches and ensure that the structure would not collapse because of unbalanced loads. Contractors worked from a temporary parallel platform, which helped keep the project on schedule. KCI engineers also designed plans for new bridge lighting and approach roadway reconstruction, using original Belgian Block Pavers salvaged from the bridge, and maintained access through and public use of the park during construction.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $2 million project, Delaware State Senator Harris B. McDowell congratulated KCI's design team for "really listening to the needs of the community...and designing a modern bridge that reflects the historic and aesthetic values of the community."