A Link-Belt RTC-80130 SII rough-terrain crane is working on the new Mosquito Road bridge near Placerville, California, carrying out long-radius lifts on a remote site reached through the Eldorado National Forest.
The 130-ton crane was deployed by Shimmick Construction on the northern side of the project, where access restrictions and the distance between the crane position and lifting points demanded a combination of reach, capacity and off-road mobility.
During bridge construction, the RTC-80130 SII lifted 7,500 lb shoring beams at a radius of 90 ft.
“The reach of the RTC-80130 SII was perfect for the bridge’s north side,” said Adam Almberg, Construction Manager at Shimmick.
Getting the crane to the jobsite was a significant part of the operation. The machine travelled for almost four hours through the Eldorado National Forest, covering nearly five miles of dirt roads, switchbacks, steep gradients and extended downhill sections.
“This crane handled nearly five miles of dirt roads and switchbacks on steep grades and long downhills. It did a great job travelling and handled better than most cranes,” said Adam Almberg, Construction Manager at Shimmick.
Once work on the bridge deck was completed, the crane travelled approximately 10 miles to the temporary concrete batch plant used for the project.
There, the RTC-80130 SII handled another substantial operation, tipping the 78,000 lb batch plant to allow it to be dismantled and removed from site.
The new bridge will span approximately 1,200 ft across the South Fork of the American River and is intended to improve emergency access to surrounding forest areas.
The original timber Mosquito Road bridge, built in 1939, will remain in place and be converted for pedestrian use.
