Schemmer partnered with the Iowa Department of Transportation to deliver a vital infrastructure improvement in Van Buren County with the IA 1 Over Little Lick Creek project. Designed to provide a needed bridge replacement while minimizing community disruption by allowing for installation of the new structure while the existing bridge remained in service, this project reflects our commitment to safe, innovative, and resilient design solutions that serve both travelers and local residents.

The new bridge involved the installation of a 54-foot wide by 26.33-foot-tall precast concrete arch culvert, with specialized fill placed between the existing bridge and the new arch culvert.  Due to the size of the arch culvert, Schemmer also validated the global stability of specialized mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wingwalls within the waterway.  Schemmer worked closely with the arch culvert manufacturer to incorporate custom loading criteria for design of the arch culvert foundations for each phase of construction to ensure long-term reliability, even under high-water conditions.

Due to the variable bedrock depth that differed from the pre-construction borings, close coordination throughout design and construction was key. Our team collaborated across roadway, geotechnical, and structural disciplines, and with IDOT’s District 5 and the project contractor, to ensure a complicated design and construction process was completed successfully. The result is a lasting improvement that not only enhances local infrastructure, but also demonstrates how thoughtful engineering can solve complex problems while keeping communities connected.