Morrison Bridge Painting

The steel on five river river spans of the Morrison Bridge was repainted in 2022 and 2023.

Project Information

 

A view of structural steel members on the underside of a bridge. Their paint is peeling in spots, and rust and corrosion can be seen.
Existing paint on the Morrison Bridge is peeling and must be replaced to avoid corrosion.
  • Location: Morrison Bridge river spans
  • Schedule: Completed July 2023
  • Final Cost: $26 million
  • Funding Source: 90% federal, 10% county

Project Description

The steel on five river spans of the Morrison Bridge were repainted, mostly below the deck. The existing paint was peeling and had to be replaced to avoid corrosion of the structural steel members. After the paint was removed, corroded steel was be replaced before the span was repainted.

The old paint was lead-based, so each section of the bridge was fully encased to prevent the paint removal process from harming the environment. The newly painted spans are lead-free, and painted silver.

As part of this project, we performed structural analysis on the bridge’s steel members. We identified and repaired damaged steel sections, increasing the life of the bridge by many years.

The repainted spans include the center movable span, two flanking truss spans, and two girder spans above the river to the east. Additional work included replacement of the sidewalk panels on the lift span, and cleaning of the canopies, handrails and exterior of the operator towers.

 

Last reviewed July 20, 2023