Olga-North

The Olga North Bridge was designed to replace an outdated, narrow two-lane bridge that could no longer accommodate the increasing traffic in Hadera and Olga municipalities. The new bridge features four lanes, including sidewalks and bicycle lanes, and is being constructed in the same location as the old bridge. One of the main challenges of this design is to maintain the old bridge while constructing the new one. Another significant obstacle is the fact that the bridge’s east side sits on top of an old gas line that needs to be cancelled and a new gas line that needs to be constructed, making the project even more complex. Despite these challenges, the new bridge must be built above the coastal highway (Road 2) without interfering with traffic.

To address the challenges outlined above, the bridge construction was divided into two parts with a cold casting joint between them. The first part was designed to carry the traffic above road 2, which allowed for the demolition of the old bridge and made room for the second part of the construction. To overcome the challenge of the tangent gas line and minimize the need for a sheet pile wall, the Top-down method was used for the east abutment. On the west abutment, construction began from road 2 level due to its proximity to the road and the limited space available within the gas line borders. High abutments were necessary to support the soil behind them, which is why integral bridge technology was adopted. This method has the added benefit of eliminating the need for expensive and maintenance-intensive elastomeric bearings and expansion joints. Additionally, the bridge’s geometry was designed to be similar to the Olga south bridge to optimize the construction process.

Despite the many challenges, the Olga North Bridge project was successfully completed, and the new bridge now serves as a vital infrastructure for the area, accommodating the increasing traffic and enhancing the transportation network.