How Much Does A Bridge Cost?
Pre-fabricated bridges, like most custom manufacturing, vary tremendously in cost depending on the length, width and features chosen. Equally important is what combination of loadings (pedestrian vs. vehicular) and which design codes are applied to the structure. There is no national agreement on what codes, loads, and stresses should apply, so it is often dictated per the collaborative judgments from owners, consultants and local governments.
Many people are surprised to find out that a painted steel bridge is quite a bit more expensive than a “weathering steel” bridge, or that a 20’ long bridge is often more expensive on a linear foot basis than a 50’ long bridge. This is because the freight costs to your project site is typically the same for both spans, the engineering costs are the same for both spans, and the labor is quite similar, so the primary savings is only in the materials saved.
Fortunately, Excel Bridge provides the design, fabrication, and delivery which takes all those tasks off your plate. Because we design and build bridges all day and every day, our experience and efficiencies can often reduce your total costs significantly.
Including Excel’s steel truss bridges in your project can mean clearing much longer spans than most other bridging options allow, virtually eliminating the need for piers. This can save a lot of time and headaches with being able to span areas that other owners or agencies may control.
Other costs that should be considered and are outside of Excel Bridge’s scope are:
- Utilizing a contractor to build the abutments (and piers if needed) and set the bridge
- Environmental issues. These can impact your timeline, pier location options and more
A local engineer and/or architect should be able to assist you with the above listed items plus the design of abutments, acquiring permits, utility coordination, hydrology, soil analysis and aesthetics.
Typical 50′ to120′ bridges made from weathering steel, with wood or concrete decks are our most economical options on a linear foot basis.
When spanning over 120’, our steel truss structures are most often the most cost efficient option available anywhere.
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Typical “Box” truss bridges, usually fenced on all sides for a highway overpass, will often cost more than the above examples.
- Painted bridges are more expensive than weathering steel structures.
Painted Bow Truss
- Bow truss are usually slightly more expensive than parallel chord trusses.
- Girder types (Beam Spans) with an aesthetic covering of wood like the Excel “Macho Combo” above can add 25% or more over the truss type.
- AASHTO (or DOT) codes instead of AISC for the design stresses typically adds to the cost.
Longitudinally spliced bridge nested for shipment
- Wider bridges with decks from 13′ to 16′ are usually 20% to 40% higher cost, verses a 12′ wide deck bridge.
Fire truck or cement truck load, also called HS-20 or HL 93 loading