More than 300 trains crossed the Burlington Bridge every month and tons of travel on barges below. It was therefore decided that shutting down rail or river traffic during the construction of a new bridge would only be allowed during a single 30-hour period. With such heavy usage demands, constant river level changes and the inherent complications of working with a 115 year old bridge, monitoring was key to this project. Knowing how and when the bridge moves, vibrates, tilts and bends proved critical for establishing a safe working environment as well as maintaining the bridge’s operational status.

Extreme storms, strong undersea currents, potential collisions and even normal wear and tear are all cause for concern for those who operate offshore structures. When customers factor in their remote locations, even knowing if they are in place and functioning can be a challenge. Today’s inspections are about to be out of date.

Engineers needed a fast, simple and cost-effective way of determining the safety of the Lake Champlain Bridge. If a replacement was needed, the safety of workers and civilians needed to be guaranteed throughout the process.