Skanska USA accelerate 450 million bridge construction with 3D modelling

At the Alligator River Bridge Project in North Carolina, three huge barges, each carrying a large crane and piling rig, are supporting the construction of the new 3.2 mile long bridge using 3D machine control from Leica Geosystems.

Out on site, Peter Haddock spoke with Jason Anderson, Survey Manager on the project, who shared how using the Leica Geosystems solution has completely transformed the pace and efficiency of his complex marine construction.

Jason: “With 3D modelling and the way you can get out ahead using the software and user interface, it’s not as survey intensive as it used to be.”

“Everything’s on the tablet. Crews can position barges and piles in real time, cutting down on setup time and dramatically increasing production.”

By integrating Leica’s ConX cloud platform, each rig team can communicate directly with Jason on shore, who monitors progress, shares updated models, and troubleshoots issues without having to get out on the water.

Jason: “I’ve been doing this for over 20 years, and this is the fastest I’ve ever seen piles go in the river.”

Beyond efficiency, the project’s new bridge will also bring major benefits to local communities, removing long traffic delays caused by the old swing bridge it replaces, improving hurricane evacuation routes across this critical corridor.

“Once this bridge is complete, the waiting’s over, for drivers, for boaters, and for everyone relying on this route.”

Being the first major project of its type to use this solution, Jason and the team have proven the benefits technology can bring to a very complex project.