James B. Edwards Bridge
The James B. Edwards Bridge, also referred to as the Wando River Bridge, is a pair of pre-cast post-tensioned concrete box [girder bridge|box girder] bridges that span the Wando River between Mount [Pleasant, South Carolina|Mount Pleasant] and Daniel Island on Interstate 526 in South Carolina.
The bridge was designed by Figg Bridge Engineers and is owned and maintained by the South Carolina Department of Transportation. The bridge is named for James B. Edwards, who was a governor of South Carolina, Secretary of Energy, and long-time president of the Medical University of South Carolina.
Construction
The bridge was constructed of pre-cast concrete segments using top-down construction. Segments were transported along already completed spans and put in place from above. This construction method was selected to reduce construction impacts on the marsh areas along the banks of the Wando River. The bridge is designed and built to accommodate six lanes of traffic with narrow shoulders, and has been used for four since opening. The construction contractor was T.L. James Associates of Louisiana.The bridge has a history of issues that arose during or from the construction. Allegations about the workmanship led to a year-long investigation which found no issues. The construction contract ended in countersuits with the SCDOT suing for delays and the contractor suing for design deficiencies. This resulted in a $4.9 million settlement paid to the contractor. Aluminum expansion joints installed on the bridge failed within four years, which required SCDOT to install replacements at a cost of $2 million. And the profile of the bridge deck would cause discomfort.