The Route 159 bridge over the CSX Railroad in Rotterdam, NY demonstrates how a shallow depth precast bridge system can increase railroad under-clearance without raising the profile of the roadway approaches.

Project Stakeholders

• Owner: New York State Department of Transportation, Region 1
• Contractor: Kubricky Construction Corp.
• Engineer: Janssen & Spaans Engineering, Inc.

Project Overview

The Route 159 bridge over the CSX Railroad in Rotterdam, NY demonstrates how a shallow-depth bridge can increase railroad under-clearance without raising the profile of the roadway approaches.

For NYSDOT Region 1, the project required a durable bridge solution that could create more clearance over the active railroad corridor while maintaining the existing roadway approach conditions. Fort Miller supplied the SpaanSpan® bridge system, giving the project team a low-profile precast solution designed for long-term performance and efficient installation.

Scope and Details

The primary challenge was vertical clearance. The bridge needed to provide additional under-clearance for CSX Railroad operations, but increasing the height of the roadway approaches would have added complexity, cost, and impacts to the surrounding corridor.

This made structural depth a critical design consideration. The project required a bridge system capable of spanning 130 feet while keeping the superstructure as shallow as possible.

Fort Miller supplied the SpaanSpan® system, which used high-performance concrete with strengths in excess of 10,000 psi, pre-tensioned deck slab units, and a post-tensioned completed structure.

The system allowed the project team to achieve the 130-foot span with an approximate structural depth of only 21 inches. This helped increase railroad clearance below the bridge while maintaining the roadway profile above.

The Route 159 project also marked the first time NYSDOT used the SpaanSpan® system.

Precast, pre-tensioned deck slab units were placed between and supported by longitudinal edge girders. The longitudinal edge girders were spliced over the active railroad tracks to create the completed 130-foot span.

Using spliced girders helped meet shipping and jobsite erection requirements, giving the project team a practical way to deliver and assemble the bridge system within site constraints.

Temporary bracing and support falsework were used during installation to support the construction sequence over the railroad corridor.

Impact and Innovation

The Route 159 bridge gave NYSDOT a low-maintenance, durable precast concrete solution for a challenging rail-crossing application.

For bridge projects over rail corridors, shallow structural depth can be especially valuable. It can help owners gain clearance below the structure while limiting changes to roadway alignment, approach grades, and surrounding infrastructure.

By combining high-performance concrete, pre-tensioned components, and post-tensioning in the completed structure, the SpaanSpan® system supported the project’s clearance goals while maintaining the strength and long-term performance required for the corridor.

The project demonstrated how Fort Miller’s bridge systems can solve clearance, geometry, delivery, and installation challenges while supporting long-term infrastructure performance.