Crossland Construction Co., Inc.

Client:

River Parks Authority, Tulsa Gathering Place, LLC

Scope Of Work

The Gathering Place Land Bridges consist of four two-lane tunnels that are 408 feet long and 89 feet and 6 inches wide. Each bridge has 98 precast concrete arches, weighing 25 tons individually; these were maneuvered and  strategically placed via cranes. Additionally, 84 42-inch piers were drilled nearly 20 feet beneath each bridge to support the gigantic arches. Every continuous concrete pier cap is five feet wide by nine feet tall, and 330 feet  in length. Resting in side-by-side pairs, these bridges have a 20 foot clearance to accommodate nearly every  mode of transportation. Riverside Drive travelers will now experience a nature-esque commute as they drive to  and from their destinations; a 16 foot tree-lined median is set to be installed on either side of the land bridges between the north and southbound lanes.

The Land Bridges could truly be called the focal point of the Gathering Place project. The only pair of structures like this in the world, the bridges were erected in the hollowed-out earth, extensively waterproofed, and then  soundproofed with berms. Anywhere from 15 to 25 feet of backfill was dumped on top of and around the completed structures, which was then planted with lush grass and vegetation. The effect is that the bridges  become tunnels, barreling through the 100 acre park. Park visitors literally walk on top of these massive concrete  archways, strolling through the gardens as Riverside Drive traffic flows silently beneath them. The bridges allowed the park flow to be seamless, despite cutting through one of Tulsa’s busiest roadways.