Bridges Weekly Update #15

21 July 2004

ON SCHEDULE

Of the 146 bridges scheduled to be repaired this year, we are completed with 51 of them, and 8 more are currently works-in-progress as of July 21st. All bridgework is proceeding on schedule to be completed by November 2004. Span change out is complete on the east end of the Sioux River Bridge.

¨ E-80 and Osmose are both continuing between Verdi and Arlington on RRIF bridges. We also started the bridge deck change-out at MP 196.7.

¨ The Sioux River Bridge is being worked on by E-80. Prep work began on March 15^th and on April 12^th they started driving piling with 36 of 78 pilings being driven thus far. This completes the pile driving that is required for the east end of the bridge. For the next two months the crew was working on the concrete caps and abutments, which were poured in place. The first of these concrete caps was poured on Wednesday May 26^th and all of these concrete caps in the east approach span have been completed. The crew will complete the final touches on the east end of the bridge by the first of August. The crane is moving to the west side to start pile driving on the other half of this project next week. This project is on schedule and should be completed by November 2004.

¨ The IC&E locomotive crane has arrived on the DM&E, so the Cottonwood and Mine Creek bridges are on schedule and have begun. Last week the ballast tubs for Br# 502 at MP 196.7 were unloaded in preparation and other preparatory work has begun, four (4) ballast tubs were changed-out as of today or approximately a quarter of this bridge deck is completed. These bridges are scheduled to be completed in late August or early September.

¨ Another bridge was completed this week on the IC&E near MP 135 on the Chicago Sub, and two bridges were completed near Elkton, SD.