The successful completion of a replacement bridge at the intersection of U.S. 30 and N-92, near the town of Clarks in central Nebraska, represents the significant engineering benefits and cost savings that value engineering can offer owners and taxpayers. A value engineering study for the Clarks Viaduct bridge replacement resulted in an innovative precast concrete design solution that was chosen over a haunched steel plate girder superstructure, saving $100,000 in project costs. The precast, prestressed concrete alternate comprised a modified University of Nebraska NU1100 I-girder with an innovative high strength threaded rod connection system to create girder continuity for deck weight. This article describes the design considerations, production, and construction of the first high-performance precast concrete bridge to be constructed using nonpost-tensioned continuity for deck weight.
