Ashland Bridge Deck Replacement
Full deck replacement on an aging New Hampshire bridge using 15,000 sq ft of half-filled T grid deck across 152 panels, 76 northbound and 76 southbound, delivered in two phases. The job marked the first use of a new beam-punching die and the first MCS build with pans positioned below the cross bars.
The Challenge
The project required a full deck replacement on both sides of the Ashland Bridge, 15,000 square feet across 152 panels, split evenly northbound and southbound. The customer wanted one side completed and installed first with the second side delivered after, so fabrication had to be sequenced around a two-phase installation plan. On top of that, the deck was a half-filled T configuration MCS had never produced before, requiring a new beam-punching die and pans set below the cross bars, plus all field-installed materials the contractor needed to finish the system on site.
The MCS Approach
The Bridge Division sourced, processed, fabricated, and shipped the complete grid deck package: half-filled T panels along with splices, rebar, pans, and leveling bolts. Rather than treating the new configuration as an unknown, the team integrated the new punching die into production, proved out the below-cross-bar pan detail, and translated a first-time system into a controlled, repeatable manufacturing process. Fabrication was organized around the two 76-panel phases so each side of the bridge shipped in the order the contractor needed it.
The Outcome
The project ran without major fabrication or field issues. MCS held schedule discipline from sourcing through shipment, met the required due date, and supported the bridge reopening on time, finishing ahead of budget using roughly half of the labor hours originally allocated. Ashland now stands as proof that MCS can adopt new tooling, manufacture a first-time grid configuration, and coordinate phased delivery on a live bridge project without sacrificing quality or schedule.
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