How Liebherr cranes power one of Alaska’s largest infrastructure projects

After deploying two Liebherr LR 1300.1 SX crawler cranes, Traylor Bros., Inc. relied on Liebherr to handle critical lifts throughout bridge assembly. “It starts with having a good crew, many of whom are used to working in remote Alaska,” said Tyler Becker, Senior Field Engineer for Traylor Bros., Inc. Undertaking a major roadway and bridge construction project, Becker noted it takes a great deal of coordination between several parties to coordinate such a large team and maneuver massive equipment including the Liebherr LR 1300.1 SX crawler cranes in such a remote location.

With a population of less than 300, Cooper Landing is a small town on the Kenai Peninsula in southern Alaska. Known for its excellent fishing in the summer, tourism in the area nearly quadruples causing heavy traffic in the area. Due to this seasonal influx, the roadway and bridge expansion provides an ideal solution to reroute the traffic around Cooper Landing more efficiently, effectively, and safely.

“We have several LR 1300s across the company, so there is companywide familiarity with the machine. Additionally, it’s simply the right tool for the job – versatile with the capacity needed for all lifts on the site,” explained Becker. “Having the right tool for the job is incredibly important for safety and efficiency. This crane works when we need it and does what we ask of it.”

Travis Ludlow, Traylor Bros. Operator, also finds the Liebherr crane beneficial. He noted the cranes’ Gradient Travel Aid, which calculates the center of gravity and warns the operator before leaving the safe zone, was especially helpful for safely negotiating slopes, which is critical due to the topographical conditions of the project.

Traylor Bros. also utilized Liebherr’s planning software, Crane Planner 2.0, throughout the project. Due to the remote location and surrounding natural habitats, careful planning was required so that any possible ecological impact could be minimized. Additionally, steep slopes and limited access roads made the positioning of large bridge components extremely difficult. Traylor Bros., Inc. planned the whole deployment of the two crawler cranes in advance. By simulating the lifts, the company can take all scenarios into account and find solutions for them in advance so that the bridge project can be completed safely, efficiently and on time.

Due to the project site’s remote location, Traylor had to overcome a variety of challenges to stay on schedule including immense site coordination and complex transport of structural steel from Arizona to Alaska. In addition to logistical challenges, the team had to navigate extreme weather including strong snowfall, heavy winds, and large temperature swings. Seismic activities in the region were also considered in the technical calculations, to provide sufficient safety in the event of earthquakes.

“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 winds up to 40 miles per hour. So, I am very happy that we have two Liebherr crawler cranes here – one on each side of the project,” explained Ludlow.