KS Engineers, P.C. (KSE) provided Construction Management and Inspection services for the painting and rehabilitation of the Pennsylvania Approach Spans of the Commodore Barry Bridge for the Delaware River Port Authority. KSE’s responsibilities included on-site and off-site construction monitoring, inspection of containment and work platform systems, oversight of lead-based paint removal, verification of blast cleaning operations, coating inspection, hazardous waste disposal monitoring, maintenance and protection of traffic coordination, document control, daily reporting, and compliance verification with applicable environmental, safety, technical, and contract requirements. KSE also provided structural engineering support, including the design of field-bolted steel repairs for heavily corroded plate girder components.
The Commodore Barry Bridge is a major truss bridge carrying five lanes of traffic across the Delaware River between Chester, Pennsylvania, and Bridgeport, New Jersey. The bridge consists of Pennsylvania and New Jersey approach spans, deck truss spans, and cantilever truss superstructure spans. This project focused on the Pennsylvania approach spans, including 24 multi-girder spans and five deck truss spans, as well as rehabilitation work at the bridge’s toll plaza.
The painting program required removal of the existing lead-based coating system in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection requirements and strict environmental protection protocols. KSE monitored installation of containment systems, blast cleaning of structural steel, collection and disposal of hazardous waste materials, and application of a new three-coat protective coating system designed to extend the service life of the bridge steel. The work also included protection of existing utilities, access hatch gasket replacement, hatch bolt replacement, caulking of steel joints, and coordination with adjacent projects and agencies, including the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
In addition to coating inspection and construction monitoring, KSE maintained a complete project record, including daily reports, contracts, shop drawings, insurance documents, applicable codes, regulations, technical standards, specifications, and construction correspondence. This disciplined documentation supported quality control, regulatory compliance, and effective communication among the owner, contractor, agencies, and project stakeholders.
During the project, KSE also designed field-bolted repairs to restore deteriorated portions of the existing steel plate girders. These repairs addressed corrosion in both flanges and webs and restored the affected members to their original load capacity. The use of field-bolted repairs reduced initial construction costs while avoiding the quality control, distortion, and fatigue concerns associated with field welding. The repair design conformed to applicable AASHTO and DRPA standards.
The project’s successful delivery, technical excellence, environmental stewardship, and contribution to the long-term preservation of a major regional bridge were recognized with the American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey (ACEC NJ) Award for Engineering Excellence.
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