QEI was a Joint Venture Partner that planned and designed a $360M replacement of the 4,940-foot long, 54-span, dual Tollway Structures (Mile Long Bridge). The structures carry eight lanes (later expanded to ten) of I-290 traffic over CN Railroad, I&M Canal, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Property, Des Plaines River, the BNSF Rail Yard, Santa Fe Drive, and 75th Street Interchange. QEI’s managed and coordinated the survey, environmental, and existing bridge inspection. The NBIS element-level bridge inspection involved a snooper, bucket trucks, and significant coordination. QEI developed the inspection criteria and overall plan, arranged for the rental of access equipment, lane closures from both IDOT and the Tollway, and railroad flaggers while working in the railyard, and managed the preparation of exhibits for the Bridge Condition Report. Surveying tasks included topographic surveys of the bridge and railroad yard, hydraulic survey of the canal, and right-of-way surveys using 3-D Lidar scanning. Environmental tasks included wetland delineations, tree survey, and completion of the Environmental Evaluation Document—QEI design activities included bridge, retaining wall, roadway, and erosion control design.
Client: Illinois Tollway
Location: Cook County, IL
Construction Cost: $360 Million
2024 ACEC Honor Award
2024 ACEC Engineering Works (People’s Choice) Award
2023 Structural Engineers Association’s Best Bridge/Transportation Project Award
2019 ACEC Special Achievement Award