Title:
Design and Construction Challenge: Tren Urbano, Puerto Rico
Author(s):
Manuel Feliciano
Publication:
Concrete International
Volume:
23
Issue:
2
Appears on pages(s):
82-88
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
2/1/2001
Abstract:
Tren Urbano project is a mass transit rail system located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The construction cost for this project is approximately $1.7 billion (U.S.). Tren Urbano construction phase began in the summer of 1997 with four out of seven design/build contracts awarded at that time. The mass transit system is 17.2 km (10.7 m) long, including approximately 9.4 km (5.8 m) of elevated structures, including segmental and cast-in-place bridges, 1.8 km (1.1 m) of tunnel and 6.0 km (3.7 m) of at-grade sections. The elevated bridge structures stretch over existing streets, water channels, and urban centers. This article presents several aspects related to the segmental construction techniques used in two contracts of this project. These two contracts were called during the bidding process, Centro Medico, and Villa Nevarez, respectively. The contractor is still currently involved in three sections of the Tren Urbano project. Just two contracts designed by the JMI Engineers will be discussed. Also, the design and construction challenges that are found in a project of this nature, when additional nontypical elements are added to a bridge, will be presented. The means and methods adopted by the contractor are briefly discussed. Finally, the interaction between a segmental bridge and two different types of stations are explained.