Steel girders for the Juneau Creek Bridge are being assembled on one side of the canyon and gradually pushed across to Cooper Landing using the bridge launch technique. The sections are moved into place with hydraulic presses, allowing the bridge to span the deep canyon without the need for scaffolding across the gap.
Two Liebherr LR 1300.1 SX crawler cranes are being used by Traylor Bros, Inc. to lift and position the heavy girders, with one crane working on each side of the project. Travis Ludlow, a crane driver at Traylor Bros, Inc., said the first lifts were the most difficult. “The most challenging lift for us was the first girders of the bridge. They were very heavy, and I had to rely on a lot of ground people because wind was coming in. We could see up to 40 mile per hour winds. So I am very happy that we therefore have two Liebherr crawler cranes – one on each side of the project,” said Travis.
He highlighted the importance of the cranes’ Gradient Travel Aid, which helps operators safely move on steep terrain. The system calculates the crane’s centre of gravity and warns the operator if it moves outside the safe area. It also provides real-time information on gradients and load stability, with the ability to adjust the main boom angle if needed.
The bridge is being built using solid steel girders, chosen for their strength, long spans and efficient use of material. These girders must be aligned with millimetre precision to ensure the bridge’s stability. Traylor Bros, Inc. selected the LR 1300.1 SX cranes to meet these demands. Tyler Becker, Senior Field Engineer at Traylor Bros, Inc., said reliability was critical due to tight weather windows. “There were several factors that went into the decision to choose the LR 1300.1 SX. The reliability of the crawler cranes is incredibly important for our project site. We have a small window before the weather kicks us out. Any malfunctions would cause massive schedule delays. The LR 1300.1 SX works when we need it. It has the versatility and the capacity to handle all the lifts we need to do,” said Tyler.
Planning for the project considered Alaska’s extreme conditions, including heavy snowfall, strong winds, temperature changes and seismic activity. The remote location and surrounding natural environment also required careful planning to minimise environmental impact. Steep slopes and limited access made crane positioning challenging.
To manage these risks, Traylor Bros, Inc. planned and simulated the crane operations using Liebherr’s Crane Planner 2.0 software. By modelling the lifts in advance, the team was able to account for different scenarios and complete the project safely and efficiently.
The LR 1300 crawler crane type recently marked its 18th anniversary. The Juneau Creek Bridge project has become a landmark job for the two newest LR 1300.1 SX models, set against the dramatic landscape of Alaska.