Progress Continues on John C. Waldron Memorial Bridge Project in Pierre/Ft. Pierre

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Contact: Dean VanDeWiele, Pierre Area Engineer, 605-773-5294

PIERRE, S.D. –  The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) says that significant progress continues on the John C. Waldron Memorial Bridge, which connects the cities of Pierre and Fort Pierre.

The contractor overseeing the project, Jensen Construction Company, is nearing completion of the underwater substructure of the new bridge, and the public will soon be able to view more abovewater construction.

Crews have constructed 10 of the 12 drilled shafts for the new bridge and plan to complete the last two drilled shafts within the next month.

Crews have also made substantial progress on the Pierre-side abutment—a component of the bridge that connects it to the approach roadway and provides vertical support to the bridge superstructure at its end.

The next phase of the project will include the construction and placement of bridge columns, bent caps, piers, and girders. The Waldron Memorial Bridge is scheduled to be fully open to traffic in the summer of 2024.

For additional information and photos, please visit the project website at https://pierre-ftpierrebridge.com.

About SDDOT:

The mission of the South Dakota Department of Transportation is to efficiently provide a safe and effective public transportation system.

For the latest on road and weather conditions, road closures, construction work zones, commercial vehicle restrictions, and traffic incidents, please visit https://sd511.org or dial 511.

Read more about the innovative work of the SDDOT at https://dot.sd.gov.

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