The Vermont Transportation Agency is using new technology to cut construction time, reduce the backlog of bridges that need replacement and save monty. The program involves using a series of hollow tubes made of materila that is impervious to the elements.The composite material provides a protective barrier against road salt, chemicals and moisture which degrades conventional bridges.
The tubes are then filled with concrete and a deck is laid across the top. The bridge is expected to be ready for traffic in a fraction of the time it would take to build a traditional bridge.
(more on Vermont's accelerated bridge program and the 'bridge in a backpack'...)