This time-lapse video shows accelerated bridge construction (ABC) techniques being used by a local contractor with standard equipment to replace a three-span bridge on U.S. 6 over Keg Creek in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. The $2.7 million reconstruction project is a cooperative effort involving FHWA, the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2). This Highways for LIFE  demonstration project was also part of SHRP2 Renewal research which created standard bridge designs that can be adapted to a large number of bridge projects. The design scales ABC methods to typical projects so that the benefits of faster construction and advanced materials are replicated wherever possible. The goal is to make ABC techniques a standard part of bridge construction. In the Keg Creek demonstration, road closure was reduced from six months to two weeks.

With the design standards developed in this project, the average contractor can apply ABC methods without special construction equipment. The video shows that only standard construction equipment was used. The bridge also features several innovative bridge elements, including a precast concrete deck on steel girders as the superstructure module; precast pier columns; prefabricated bridge approach pavements; full, moment-resisting ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) joint at the piers; and moment-resisting UHPC joints between deck panels.

For its innovations, the project received an FHWA Highways for LIFE grant.