Construction
Pre Construction
Translating the construction schedule into spanish.
First Look at Bridge Site
The steel cables were laid next to the path to bridge site.
First Look at Bridge Site
The two towers were built by Bridges to Prosperity prior to ND SEED's arrival.
First Look at Bridge Site
The existing bridge. It was constructed with barbed wire instead of steel cables and has several wooden planks missing.
First Look at Bridge Site
Pat and Rafael observing the site for the first time.
First Look at Bridge Site
Half of the right bank's approach walls were built prior to ND SEED's arrival.
First Look at Bridge Site
The new towers reach significantly higher than the existing bridge.
Day 1: May 21
Deadman beam anchor excavation points are marked.
Day 1: May 21
Deadman beam (right anchor) excavation.
Day 1: May 21
Deadman beam excavation.
Day 1: May 21
Jess excavating for the deadman beam.
Day 1: May 21
Anna excavating for the deadman beam.
Day 1: May 21
The house near the road where materials were stored.
Day 1: May 21
In the morning, Rafael and Katie went into Gracias to buy materials for the bridge. They were transported in this truck
Day 1: May 21
Rafael carried a bag of cement from the truck to the house.
Day 1: May 21
Taking a much needed break!
Day 1: May 21
More deadman beam excavation.
Day 1: May 21
Drum anchor (left anchor) excavation begins.
Day 1: May 21
Drum anchor excavation.
Day 1: May 21
Pat taking a break from shoveling to smile for the camera.
Day 1: May 21
Sean finishing the drum anchor excavation.
Day 1: May 21
Final shot of the day with of the completed deadman beam anchor excavation.
Day 2: May 22
Cutting rebar for the anchors.
Day 2: May 22
Cutting rebar for the anchors.
Day 2: May 22
Tying three pieces of rebar together to achieve the necessary strength.
Day 2: May 22
Bending rebar circles for the drum anchor.
Day 2: May 22
Bending rebar circles for the drum anchor.
Day 2: May 22
Bending rebar circles for the drum anchor.
Day 2: May 22
Jess looking over the plans to ensure that the rebar pieces are the correct lengths and thicknesses.
Day 2: May 22
Anna getting ready to carry rebar down the mountain to the bridge site.
Day 2: May 22
Horses carried sand, gravel, and cement down the mountain to the bridge site.
Day 2: May 22
Tubes were used to bend the rebar for the deadman beam into squares.
Day 2: May 22
Deadman beam cage construction.
Day 2: May 22
Anna and Katie marking the places where the square pieces are to be placed along the rebar cage.
Day 2: May 22
Deadman beam cage construction.
Day 2: May 22
Pat and Jose cut wire pieces that will be used to hold the pieces of rebar together.
Day 2: May 22
Deadman beam anchor cage is complete! It's ready to go into the hole.
Day 2: May 22
Jess and Anna starting the drum anchor rebar cage.
Day 2: May 22
Wire ties are used to hold the cage together.
Day 2: May 22
Hours later, Sean and Anna finishing the rebar cage.
Day 2: May 22
Rafael approves.
Day 2: May 22
The drum anchor rebar cage is complete!
Day 3: May 25
The materials for the concrete (cement, gravel, sand, accelerant, and water) in piles along the side of the path.
Day 3: May 25
Mixing the water into the concrete.
Day 3: May 25
Concrete on everyone's hands!
Day 3: May 25
The bottom of the drum anchor being filled.
Day 3: May 25
Anna and Katie cutting more rebar for the drum anchor.
Day 3: May 25
Pulling the cables across the river.
Day 3: May 25
Pulling the cables across the river.
Day 3: May 25
Lifting the cable up over the saddles on the tower.
Day 3: May 25
Clamping the cables temporarily in place.
Day 3: May 25
The cables wrap around the deadman beam anchor cage.
Day 3: May 25
Jose!
Day 3: May 25
Construction of the right approach wall.
Day 3: May 25
Carrying sand or gravel for the concrete. Even the kids help!
Day 3: May 25
Watching the construction.
Day 3: May 25
Rafael carrying gravel for the concrete mix.
Day 4: May 26
Katie, Anna, and Michael (a local volunteer).
Day 4: May 26
The inner drum filled with concrete.
Day 4: May 26
Horses bringing the sand, cement, and gravel to the site.
Day 4: May 26
Filling the bucket with water to use in the concrete mix.
Day 4: May 26
Pouring the deadman beam anchor.
Day 4: May 26
Community members reviewing the construction plans.
Day 4: May 26
Concrete mix next to the deadman beam anchor.
Day 4: May 26
The cables were slid through plastic tubes so that they could be adjusted later. Here, rocks hold the cable tubes in li
Day 5: May 27
A final layer of concrete completes the deadman beam anchor.
Day 5: May 27
The day was spent filling the right approach with rocks, gravel, and dirt.
Day 6: May 28
Inner drum formwork removal.
Day 6: May 28
Katie tightening the cable clamps (bulldog grips) with the torque wrench.
Day 6: May 28
Anna and Katie placing the cable clamps 15 cm apart along the cable.
Day 6: May 28
Placing the formwork for the outer drum.
Day 6: May 28
The final layout of the formwork with the walkway cables around the inner drum.
Day 6: May 28
Pat, Katie, and Anna.
Day 6: May 28
The drum anchor filled with concrete.
Day 6: May 28
Mirdardo reading the agreement from the mayor of La Campa to provide the wood for the bridge.
Day 7: May 29
The construction of the left bank approach wall.
Day 7: May 29
The left bank approach wall.
Day 7: May 29
Rafael overseeing Jessica's painting job.
Day 7: May 29
Mirdardo painting the white stripe of the Hondura's flag.
Day 7: May 29
Anna bending the rebar to make the suspenders.
Day 7: May 29
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Day 7: May 29
Anna and Mirdardo.
Day 7: May 29
Rafael and Sean painting the wood decking with a curing agent.
Day 7: May 29
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Day 7: May 29
Pat tightening the cable clamps to 250 ft-lbs.
Day 7: May 29
Left approach wall.
Day 7: May 29
The masons.
Day 8: June 1
Cutting branches.
Day 8: June 1
The removal of branches that might fall on the new bridge or get in the way of construction.
Day 8: June 1
Katie and Anna marking the heights of the lowest points of each cable.
Day 8: June 1
The left approach.
Day 8: June 1
View from the left abutment to the right abutment.
Day 8: June 1
Katie watching for a cable through the abney level as the cable is raised.
Day 8: June 1
Milosz, a Bridges to Prosperity employee, raising one of the cables with a cable-pulling winch.
Day 8: June 1
The winch attachment.
Day 8: June 1
Jess tightening the cable clamps.
Day 8: June 1
The left approach filled with rocks, gravel, and dirt.
Day 8: June 1
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Day 8: June 1
The cables are up and set!
Day 8: June 1
Rafael tightening the cable clamps.
Day 8: June 1
Pat and Rafael walking home at the end of a long day.
Day 9: June 2
Filling the left approach.
Day 9: June 2
The opening of the cable tubes were covered with concrete so that dirt and water will not get in.
Day 9: June 2
Anna collecting rocks.
Day 9: June 2
Carrying deck panels across the old bridge.
Day 9: June 2
Decking preparation.
Day 9: June 2
Adjusting the suspender lengths.
Day 9: June 2
Cutting the excess cable so that the community can use it on another bridge project after ND SEED leaves.
Day 9: June 2
Coating the cables with a tar to protect them from moisture.
Day 9: June 2
Decking begins!
Day 9: June 2
Milosz and Sean.
Day 10: June 3
Right bank approach.
Day 10: June 3
First crossings of the new bridge?
Day 10: June 3
Lunch.
Day 10: June 3
The back of the right approach was built up higher.
Day 10: June 3
The left approach.
Day 10: June 3
The mason smoothing concrete on top of the left approach.
Day 10: June 3
Jess, Sean, Pat, and Rafael.
Day 10: June 3
Katie cleaning up the jobsite.
Day 10: June 3
More wood being cut from nearby trees.
Day 11: June 4
Right approach - directly over the deadman beam anchor.
Day 11: June 4
The mason flattened the surface of the approach and set up formwork using scrap wood pieces.
Day 11: June 4
Mixing concrete to place on the right approach.
Day 11: June 4
Katie coating the cables while Anna screws the deck panels.
Day 11: June 4
Katie coating the suspenders with the cable coating tar.
Day 11: June 4
Decking.
Day 11: June 4
Inspecting the cables and decking from underneath.
Day 11: June 4
Crossbeam and deck panel placement, followed by nailing and screwing.
Day 11: June 4
The end of the day.
Day 11: June 4
The right approach being poured with concrete.
Day 12: June 5
View from underneath the bridge. The crossbeams are were painted with a green curing agent.
Day 12: June 5
Drilling holes in the last couple of crossbeams.
Day 12: June 5
Formwork for the right approach.
Day 12: June 5
Cable coating.
Day 12: June 5
Medardo and Katie.
Day 12: June 5
Anna and Antonio.
Day 12: June 5
Milosz screwing the deck panel.
Day 12: June 5
Medardo measuring Anna's height.
Day 12: June 5
A view from up the mountain towards Pena Blanca.
Day 12: June 5
Positioning the plaque.
Day 12: June 5
Mortaring the plaque in place.
Day 12: June 5
A step up to the approach.
Day 12: June 5
Tying the fencing in place.
Day 12: June 5
Tying the fencing in place.
Day 12: June 5
Constructing a walkway up to the bridge with the leftover deck panels.
Day 12: June 5
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Day 12: June 5
First pedestrian crossing!
Day 13: June 6
Final punchlist item: painting the mortar around the plaque blue.
Opening Ceremony
Opening Ceremony 01
Facing Peña Blanca (left bank to right bank).
Opening Ceremony 02
Facing Peña Blanca.
Opening Ceremony 03
Looking down.
Opening Ceremony 04
Dedicated to Dr. David Kirkner, University of Notre Dame This bridge was made possible thanks to the effort and dedicat
Opening Ceremony 05
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Opening Ceremony 06
Facing away from Peña Blanca (right bank to left bank).
Opening Ceremony 07
The towers were painted to look like the Honduran flag.
Opening Ceremony 08
View from downstream. The old bridge remains underneath.
Opening Ceremony 09
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Opening Ceremony 10
View from below.
Opening Ceremony 11
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Opening Ceremony 12
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Opening Ceremony 13
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Opening Ceremony 14
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Opening Ceremony 15
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Opening Ceremony 16
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Opening Ceremony 17
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Opening Ceremony 18
Jess, Anna, Katie, and Pat.
Opening Ceremony 19
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Opening Ceremony 20
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Opening Ceremony 21
The opening ceremony began with a song as the band crosses the bridge.
Opening Ceremony 22
Solo.
Opening Ceremony 23
Many speeches were made by community members.
Opening Ceremony 24
Jess also made a speech.
Opening Ceremony 25
Medardo with his birthday cake.
Opening Ceremony 26
Jess explaining the maintenance tasks that much be completed by the community after ND SEED leaves.
Opening Ceremony 27
Katie gave her tennis shoes to the community.
Opening Ceremony 28
ND SEED members also donated their rain pants and jackets.
Opening Ceremony 29
There was plenty of cake for everyone.
Opening Ceremony 30
Mmm... cake!
Opening Ceremony 31
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Opening Ceremony 32
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Opening Ceremony 33
The mason, Anna, Katie, and Pat.
Opening Ceremony 34
Anna brought her bubble wand to the ceremony.
Opening Ceremony 35
The kids loved popping the bubbles.
Opening Ceremony 36
Jess and the mason playing guitar.
Opening Ceremony 37
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Opening Ceremony 38
Team photo with Milosz.
Opening Ceremony 39
Everyone on the bridge!
Opening Ceremony 40
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Opening Ceremony 41
The last walk home.
Peña Blanca
Peña Blanca 01
Hike up to Peña Blanca
Peña Blanca 02
Pineapple.
Peña Blanca 03
Medardo leading the way.
Peña Blanca 04
Two of the houses in Peña Blanca.
Peña Blanca 05
The community members grow a lot of crops including coffee and bananas.
Peña Blanca 06
Medardo with a horse.
Peña Blanca 07
A couple more houses.
La Campa
La Campa 01
Welcome to La Campa! La Campa is the municipality that the village of Peña Blanca is within. The ND SEED team s
La Campa 02
The ND SEED team with the hotel owner, Carmen.
La Campa 03
Sunset.
La Campa 04
On the weekends, the ND SEED team would relax down near the river.
La Campa 05
Reading was a popular activity after working all day.
La Campa 06
The lone tree.
La Campa 07
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La Campa 08
Jess teaching the local children how to play American football.
La Campa 09
Mass.
La Campa 10
All the boys in La Campa waited almost everyday for Pat to come home to play American football.
La Campa 11
Cultural Night.
La Campa 12
Horseback riding.
La Campa 13
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La Campa 14
Cruz Alta.
La Campa 15
Cruz Alta.
La Campa 16
Cruz Alta.
La Campa 17
View of the town of La Campa.
La Campa 18
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La Campa 19
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