Parsons wins Engineering Excellence Award for bridge replacement in Massachusetts
Parsons is pleased to announce that it has received the 2017 Bronze Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) for the Beach Road over Lagoon Pond Bridge Replacement project on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts .
“Parsons’ innovative design for this drawbridge created a greater angle of opening and simplified installation,” said Mike Johnson, Parsons Group President. “We’re honored to receive the Engineering Excellence Award and are proud to provide functional solutions that increase safety and efficiency.”
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation selected Parsons to design the new single-leaf, rotating trunnion bascule bridge, which carries Beach Road across the channel between Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs while providing efficient access for marine traffic underneath. The new bridge replaces the iconic 1935 Lagoon Pond drawbridge, which had reached the end of its service life.
The 350‑ft‑long bridge features a 50‑ft‑long, single-leaf bascule span that opens to a nearly vertical position; however, Parsons’ design also reduces the number of required bridge openings by increasing the bridge’s vertical clearance so the closed bridge can accommodate taller ships than the old bridge. This design significantly improves traffic flow during the busy tourist season.
Parsons’ design incorporates fewer approach spans and moves the bascule span 50 feet to the west, improving line-of-sight deficiencies. Improvements also include new marine traffic and lighting systems that meet current U.S. Coast Guard requirements and a closed-circuit television system to monitor marine traffic as it approaches the bridge.
