The Cooper River Bridge
Brief Overview
Cooper River Bridge
The Replacement of the Cooper River Bridge was a design/build project to replace two old bridges on US 17 in Charleston County, South Carolina. The bridge has eight lanes of traffic plus a pedestrian/bike lane. It rises 186 feet above the water and is the longest cable-stayed main span in North America. There are major interchanges at each end of the bridge resulting in a total bridge length of over two miles.
The main span towers are founded on 10 ft. diameter drilled shafts surrounded by rock islands. The towers stand 570 ft. above the water.
Some of the required right-of-way was procured by the design/build contractor. The contractor also managed the relocation of existing utilities. Protection of the fragile low country environment was given high priority. Design and construction was fast tracked with the bridge opening for traffic in 44 months. Extensive use was made of local contractors and suppliers in the Charleston area.
Project Information
| Project Name | Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge |
| Owner Name | South Carolina Department of Transportation |
| Architect Name | |
| Contract Amount | $531,000,000 |
| Services Provided | |
| Size (SF) | |
