Victor Cushwa Memorial Bridge

The Victor Cushwa Memorial Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that crosses Interstate 68 at the Sideling Hill Rest Area. It was constructed from 1989 to 1991 to provide access to the Sideling Hill Exhibit Center. This center was closed in 2009 and the bridge and building were abandoned. They were both reopened in 2015 as the Sideling Hill Welcome Center.

The bridge is a segmental bridge, which is a relatively uncommon type of bridge. Segmental bridges are built using precast concrete sections which are longitudinal post-tensioned. This bridge utilized a walking beam during construction, which limited the interruption to the highway below. In this type of construction, a gantry (also called walking beam) is placed on the previously built section of the bridge. The new segment is lifted into place by the gantry and temporarily post-tensioned. Once the segment is attached, the gantry’s hydraulic walking mechanism moves the equipment forward and prepares for the next segment. Once all the segments are in place, the final post tensioning is applied.