Cranes in Motion
By Seth Skydel
Lampson International
Over the River
Lampson International’ s Innovative Solution and Specialized Equipment Span the Needs of a Bridge Girder Replacement Project
When you have more than 70 years of experience in the heavy lifting industry, it should come as no surprise to be called on to handle projects requiring innovative solutions, specialized equipment and expertise in planning and execution. Last year, that was exactly the case when Lampson International was contacted about a bridge girder replacement project.
“ Originally, the contractor and concrete girder supplier had another crane company set up for the job,” said Tim DeBord, superintendent at Lampson who oversaw the project.“ However, they had to back out because they had planned to put cranes on each side of the river, but the old bridge was condemned and couldn’ t be used to move the crane across. That’ s when they contacted us to see if we had a solution.”
In April 2024, Lampson partnered with Pacific Northwest construction contractor Goodman Mehlenbacher Enterprises( GAME) Inc. and American Rock Products, the producer of concrete products, for the replacement of the single-span Vernon Smith Bridge over the Touchet River in Dayton, Washington. The combined state and Columbia County project called for lifting and placing five 135-foot precast girders, each weighing more than 200,000 pounds with rigging.
Initially contacted by GAME, DeBord and Lampson’ s equipment manager, Rusty Rutherford, began the planning process for a viable crane option.
For the replacement of the single-span Vernon Smith Bridge over the Touchet River in Dayton, Washington, Lampson deployed their Manitowoc 4100 lattice boom crawler crane.
Unique Aspects
“ We needed to develop a single crane lift plan to minimize risk and exposure both for the lift and utilization of the condemned bridge,” DeBord said.“ That included some unique aspects for this job, such as needing to stay 50 feet back from the new abutment and the proximity to the rushing water and still be able to place the girders at a 120-foot
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April 2025 • www. cranehotline. com