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[CNJRoss]

12/20/23

 

 

Winter '23 Update

 

The first construction season for the new railroad bridge between Bismarck and Mandan, North Dakota is coming to a close. Like others in the region, our winter activity is dictated by weather, and mild temperatures kept crews working through most of December.

 

As we wrap up 2023, here’s what’s happened to date:

• Crews mobilized this spring and started project work with clearing trees on BNSF property on both sides of the river.
• An access road was constructed on ND Department of Transportation right of way for trucks hauling equipment and material.
• The embankment for the new bridge, located north of the existing bridge, is about 35% complete.
• Also completed is the dock wall on the west side of the river. The dock wall facilitates construction of the piers as it allows rebar and cranes to be transferred onto barges.
• Crews have driven the sheet pile and are close to completing the cofferdam, on the west side of the river, in which Pier 8 will be constructed.
• The sheet pile for the cofferdam at new Pier 9 has been driven. The cofferdam has not been excavated yet.
• BNSF received all the necessary permits and approvals for the project. Two state permits issued by the North Dakota Department of Water Resources are being challenged. The North Dakota Supreme Court heard arguments in November related to the dismissal of the challenge by the North Dakota District Court. The Supreme Court’s decision is pending. 

 

 

Construction site viewed from the northwest of the existing bridge.

 

Heading into 2024, here’s what you can expect:

• Depending on the weather, driving H pile for Pier 8 on the west side of the river may start yet this winter.
• In the spring, activity on the Bismarck side will ramp up with construction of a dock wall.
• Throughout the summer, work will take place constructing piers on the east bank as well as in the river, and piers on the west bank. 
• Crews will work concurrently on pier construction on the east and west sides of the river, always leaving a channel open for recreational boaters. 
• Some spans on the very east and west ends of the new bridge may be hoisted in place.

Learn More

 

[CNJRoss]

Railway Track and Structures, 2/9/24

 

North Dakota Supreme Court Upholds Previous Dismissal of FORB Lawsuit

 

BISMARCK, N.D. - On Thursday, February 8th, the North Dakota Supreme Court unanimously ruled to uphold the previous dismissal of FORB’s lawsuit.

 

In the matter of the Bismarck-Mandan Rail Bridge that crosses the MIssouri River, the North Dakota Supreme Court upheld the previous dismissal of the Friends of the Rail Bridge lawsuit. In 2023, the non-profit citizen group “challenged ‘a state district judge’s ruling in June that upheld a decision by the state Department of Water Resources in April to grant BNSF two sovereign land permits – the final hurdle the railroad needed to clear to launch construction.’ One of the permits is for the removal of the current rail bridge, and the other is for construction of the new one.” FORB argued that BNSF could not demolish the existing rail bridge because ownership of the bridge fell under the State of North Dakota.

 

 

Continue here. 

[CNJRoss]

4/9/24

 

 

Spring '24 Update

 

 

Crews are constructing the piers for the new BNSF Railway bridge over the Missouri River at Bismarck and Mandan. After a brief pause during winter, work began with pile driving for Pier 9 on the west side and will begin soon for Pier 8 near the west riverbank. 

 

 

Initial foundation pile for Pier 9. Markings on the pile indicate depth of pile in the ground, which is tracked to determine the amount of piling needed to complete the job.

 

Barges have been assembled to serve as a base for equipment used during in-water construction, including long-reach excavators, cranes, bucket lifts, welders, and pile hammers. 

 

With barges in place, preparation is underway for work at Pier 7, one of the two piers in the main river channel. Throughout the project, the river will always have an open channel for recreational users.

 

You can find this and other updates at the project website. Thanks for your interest in BNSF and this massive private infrastructure project!

 

Have a Question for Us?

 

Do you have a question about BNSF or the Bismarck Bridge Project? Send them to amy.mcbeth@bnsf.com.

 

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To report a vehicle stalled on a crossing, suspicious circumstances, malfunctioning crossing gates and lights, or any other emergency, call (800) 832-5452 immediately.

 

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