Deck Park Covers Phoenix Freeway

Warne, R. Thomas; Weissman, Samuel; ,

Deck Park Covers Phoenix Freeway

by R. Thomas Warne, (M.ASCE), Area Engineer; Arizona Dept. of Transportation District, 2140 Hilton Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85009,
Samuel Weissman, (F.ASCE), Assoc. Partner; Ammann & Whitney Consulting Engrs., 96 Morton St., New York, NY 10014,

Serial Information: Civil Engineering—ASCE, 1989, Vol. 59, Issue 2, Pg. 40-43

Document Type: Feature article

Abstract:

The last link in interstate I-10, the coast to coast highway from Florida to California, will be completed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1989. The last eleven-mile section through Phoenix has been in planning stages for 30 years. Citizen opposition to the original design concept caused much of the delay. A new design has been approved, one that creates a deck over the downtown portion of the freeway. An extensive park will be placed on top of the deck, one that will include an amphitheatre, a carousel, and other recreational features. The park will also preserve several city historic districts and mitigate some social problems. Mitigation of other environmental impacts, and funding delays have been resolved and the city, the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration are cooperating in the venture. The deck is a unique design, comprised of cast-in-place post tensioned multicell box girders. There are varying loads on the 19 units. The substructure consists of drilled shaft caissons that range in depth from 40 ft to 80 ft. Engineering details of the design, and the tunnels created beneath it are described. Designers used computers extensively, integrating analysis and computer aided drafting. The software is also described.

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