Fort Miller Precast supported VTrans and J. Hutchins, Inc. (All States Materials Group) by engineering and fabricating a precast rigid frame bridge system in Waterbury, Vermont.

Precast Rigid Frame Bridge Over Thatcher Brook

Project Details

• Owner: Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans)
• Contractor: J. Hutchins, Inc. (All States Materials Group)
• Project Completion: 2025
• Scope: 20 precast 3-sided bridge units

Project Overview

Carrying everyday traffic between Vermont Route 100 and the village core, the bridge over Thatcher Brook in Waterbury, VT, began to show its age. Built in 1928, the bridge became the kind of “small bridge, big impact” problem that agencies have to solve quickly and correctly. 

VTrans identified a combination of structural and functional deficiencies, including deterioration of the existing concrete beams and deck, inadequate bridge width, and adjacent intersection sight-distance limitations.

Fort Miller Precast supported the replacement solution with a multi-piece precast rigid frame bridge system engineered to provide a large clear opening and a durable bridge better suited to Vermont’s climate and service demands.

Scope and Details

Fort Miller’s in-house engineering staff engineered and structurally designed the units to meet site-specific loading, opening, and installation requirements. Twenty precast bridge units were produced, each providing a 50-foot inside span and a 6′-2″ inside rise.

Using precast shifted significant fabrication and quality-control work away from the jobsite, reducing the amount of time spent on extended forming and curing activities at the crossing. 

That approach supported smoother traffic management through the work zone and helped reduce exposure risks for crews by concentrating.

Once fabricated, the precast rigid frame bridge units were transported from Fort Miller Precast’s Easton, NY facility to the Waterbury, Vermont site, with Bay Crane Companies serving as the shipping partner. 

This approach helped the site contractor maintain a tighter installation sequence while delivering durable concrete structures suitable for long-term service in a northern climate environment.

Impact and Innovation

The completed Waterbury, VT, bridge better supports current corridor demands by accommodating larger vehicles, including a commuter bus that regularly uses the crossing to reach a nearby Park and Ride, and improving conditions for cyclists traveling on the roadway shoulder. 

Safety was also improved through better sight distance at the adjacent Lincoln Street intersection, helping create a safer crossing for drivers and pedestrians.