Looking for some help…as TxDOT was not, helpful.
I work for a GC and have contract with TxDOT which includes demo of an old bridge and then new construction.

Alas, TxDOT has no as-builts for the original bridge built in 1936 nor from its last retrofit/widening in 1981.

I've got the NBI number but curious if anyone knows another source/means of finding these drawings? Cause if the DOT doesn't have them…who would? I need the as-builts to more easily design a demolition plan.

Outdoors related because bridge crosses a creek with fish.

Try the engineers from the original build or the widening?

Demolition plan?

When in doubt more TNT is better, and video it!

1936. Was this a County Road before it was a TXDOT road? What class of TXDOT road is it now? Was the road built new in 1936 or was the bridge replaced then?

Answers to those questions and maybe we can help more.

First thing I would do is request the bridge inspection report (BRINSAP). Sometimes those can have more information. It will also be stamped by the PE who performed the inspection and you can see if they have any as-builts.

Next I would try to find the Engineer of Record (EOR) on the bridge design and see if their company has the as-builts. Good Luck!

This wouldn't be an old iron structural bridge with side trusses would it?

Would love to find an old iron iron bridge with side trusses around 40 feet long for ornamental purposes.

Have a drainage creek on my property that's got a culvert crossing but would love an old rusted bridge truss for decoration.

Quit worrying and tear it down like a neighbors fence. #OBStyle

SunrayAg said:

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Demolition plan?

When in doubt more TNT is better, and video it!

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As a medically retired Combat Engineer, I have some experience building and blowing up bridges. the "P for plenty" rule doesn't always work with bridge demolition. Having the correct critical dimensions is essential for proper bridge demolition. Where you place the explosives is MORE important than how much explosives you use.

Txdot Off System Bridge. Most are the closest road up or downstream of a state road. Go to the county and look for plans. Txdot is doing state wide bridge repmacements for these bridges.

Go outside with a tape measure and a sketch pad…

It's a state Highway - I'm going to see if TxDOT can at least point me in direction of the latter EOR. They should know who they paid at least…sometimes gotta help steer the ship. Good idea!

Unfortunately not - it's an old pan girder bridge. Cast in place beams with monolithic deck.

theGoodAg94 said:

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It's a state Highway - I'm going to see if TxDOT can at least point me in direction of the latter EOR. They should know who they paid at least…sometimes gotta help steer the ship. Good idea!

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They may know who built it and designed it.....but odds are less than 10% with a steucture that old and the last work done on it being 40 years ago.

Shockingly most gov agencies have crap for as builts or record drawings. And the ones you do get are 70% correct most of the time.

It makes no sense to me how they have nothing to provide to you regarding general layouts, elevations, or typical sections for you to prepare a demo plan. Every public bridge requires a load rating to determine it's live load capacity for load postings and/or permitting. They'd have to have determined that previously somehow.

I'm a bridge engineer but I don't work in Texas, however you've peaked my interest. Care to share the bridge number? I'd like to see what this bridge looks like.

theGoodAg94 said:

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Alas, _______ has no as-builts for the original _______ built in _____ nor from its last retrofit in _____.

I

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Construction rule #2

I know, it's concerning sometimes the amount of information the State lacks…

I've received scanned drawings in the past with coffee stains, half page torn and missing, etc.

Though I do enjoy reading those plan sets with hand written notes and drawn to scale details. CAD made lines cleaner and faster but took some of the art away imo.

Have you potentially checked with the USACE to see if any as built drawings were filed as part of a Corps permit? As depending on placement and features it might have a department of the army permit from the original crossing and likely would have required a permit depending on type of work done in the 80's.

Take it to the engineering forum.

As an IT guy that has worked in multiple DOTs, I know how some states are better than others at Bridge data management. I used to do work to pull bridge data together for NBI usage in multiple southern states. It was always interesting to see who was lacking what info.

NBI: 12-170-0-0338-04-054

I worked for a mining company and we were hauling a large backhoe under a state bridge on Hwy 322. It was loaded on the haul truck incorrectly and it hit the bridge taking out 5 of the 7 beams that supported the span. I was given the job to take down the damaged area of the bridge and then rebuild it. If you are looking for ideas on how to take down your bridge, I feel i can give you some advice or ideas if your interested
We recieved very little help from TxDot. From date of impact to open for traffic again was a total of 40 days.

9zero3 six4six 3nine62

I assume you've checked with county courthouse. It's not surprising you're having difficulty since this bridge was built nearly a century ago (during the Great Depression at that).

Any chance this bridge was built by the job corp?

I spent many years with building, rebuilding, and inspecting bridges in the DFW area. Mostly light rail but dealt with TXDot, FTA, and FRA a lot (too much). Design calcs and as-builds for older bridges were mostly non-existent. If we were slow responding to TXDot with requested documentation they were all over us but it wasn't reciprocal. They couldn't seem to find anything sometimes. My experience is that you're not likely to find the original drawings or EOR ( he's not with us anymore anyway). But the last few inspection reports should definitely be around and they should contain a lot of detail and ratings explanations. The reports should also have the PE's name who signed off and that engineer may well have a decent file on that old of a bridge. Since it's a state bridge TXDot will have copies of the inspection reports or can tell you where to find them. Someone is document control of record.

I might be able to help. I'll see what I can do.

In the 1930's the Counties handled a lot of detail that TXDOT does today. Check with the County Road & Bridge and County Engineer. They could one or both have records. County Clerks often have Depression era road documents in their deed records but no one at the Clerk's office is likely to know that.

I couldn't get the as-builts, but I do have a little info that may help.

Shoot me a PM.

What county?

AgsMnn said:

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What county?

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Montgomery. Thanks everyone for the suggestions and those that have helped/contributed. The OB knows stuff.

After some back and forth with TxDOT today, there is hope that we may end up with something after all in the next couple days.

County Engineer or City Engineer may have a record drawing.