Eagle Pass Bridge

Project Scope and Purpose

This design/bid/build project was for the construction of a new, 95’ span, single-lane access bridge for US Customs and Border Protection across the Eagle Pass Creek in Eagle Pass, Texas. The project was managed and by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District through their Interagency and International Services program. The project entailed the construction of a pre-cast and cast-in-place concrete girder bridge over the Eagle Pass Creek. The creek runs through the Eagle Pass Golf Course and provides storm drainage for the southern part of Eagle Pass. The creek drains into the Rio Grande River.

Specific Work Details

Site preparation work included clearing and grubbing the site and removal of vegetation along the creek banks. We also removed several existing gabion baskets to make room for the bridge abutment. The bridge foundation was cast-in-place concrete drilled shafts that are 42” diameter and 45’ deep. The foundations supported cast-in-place concrete abutments on each side of the creek to support the precast concrete girders.

The bridge structure consisted of 4, TEXDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) Type 4B40 box girder beams. These beams were fabricated in San Antonio, Texas and transported to the site for placement. The girders are reinforced with prestressed and conventional reinforcing. The girders are 40” deep and 48” wide. The girders will rest on elastomeric bearing pads placed on the concrete abutments. The bridge deck will consist of a cast-in-place slab with cast-in-place concrete barriers. The slab is 6” thick and conventionally reinforced. The barriers are 32” tall with a 10” tall galvanized steel railing on top.  On either side of the bridge, new approach roads were constructed. These included a gravel road on one side and an asphalt one on the other side.  Additional site work included directional and speed limit signage, seeding and planting, new gabion baskets and general site grading for the new approach.

This project is located on an operating golf course.  There were specific safety requirements required for separation of the public from the construction work. Fencing and signage was installed to ensure the public does not encroach in the construction areas. This was complicated during material deliveries and setting the concrete girders. During these activities a larger footprint was needed for setting up the crane and the beams. Additionally, the workers needed to be protected from stray golf balls.  

Given the proximity to the border, security was a challenge for storing equipment and materials. Additionally, the Rio Grande River occasionally floods and we had to develop plans for evacuating our equipment, materials and temporary offices in the case of impending flood risks.

Martinez self-performed 30% of the work on this project.  Work self-performed included Project Management, site superintendent, quality control, and safety.  We self-performed general labor including temporary fencing and signage, clearing/grubbing, and landscaping.