To gain access to a new coal seam, the El Segundo Coal Company (A Peabody Energy Subsidiary) needed to move heavy mining equipment across New Mexico’s State Highway 509, approximately 35 miles north of Milan, N.M. Coordination with the New Mexico Department of Transportation and meeting the standards for state highway construction were key factors in selecting an above grade, deep corrugated, steel arch crossing that provided minimal disruption to traffic. The existing state highway could not be compromised during construction and selecting a clear span arch design minimized any impact. From start to finish, the crossing was installed in approximately two months.Big R Bridge of the AIL Group of Companies worked closely with the mine and their consultant, Bohannan-Huston, Inc., to design the most cost-effective structure. Big R’s deep corrugated steel arch, Super-Cor, was an obvious choice given its ability to support the world’s heaviest mining loads. The 47’ span by 23’ rise by 130’ long arch supported frequent heavy haul truck traffic as well as a 2.688 million pound mine shovel. Chosen for their value and speed of installation, mechanically stabilized earth retaining walls were also provided as headwalls around the arch.
The deep corrugated steel arch performed perfectly and the project met the standards of state highway construction.