Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge

This project involved a signature pedestrian bridge connecting Omaha, Nebraska and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Benesch provided environmental and geotechnical engineering services for this project, including drilling and assessment of soil conditions on the banks of and within the riverbed of the Missouri River.

The project presented a number of health and safety concerns including the presence of heavy metals in soils as well as physical hazards and technical challenges associated with mobilizing drill crews on a barge in the river. It included significant up-front planning and coordination with the city of Omaha and the prime contractors to develop a comprehensive health and safety plan to address PPE requirements for potential contaminants as well as contingency planning for the in-stream drilling hazards.

The specific National Environmental Policy Act environmental elements of the project included environmental assessment, 4(f), 6(f), wetlands, threatened and endangered species, and public participation. Geotechnical elements included soils investigations, field and laboratory testing, and geotechnical recommendations.