Method and system for the removal and replacement of a bridge

A method for the removal and replacement of a railway bridge built upon the abutments, comprising:

• erecting four vertical removable columns on said abutments near the corners of said bridge;
• removably connecting a cross-beam means on each pair of said columns to permit the lifting of a bridge section to be removed, said two cross-beam means being separated by at least the length of said bridge section and being parallel to its width;
• positioning at least two movable jack means on each of said cross-beam means and attaching said jack means to said bridge section;
• cutting the bridge section from the remainder of the bridge;
• lifting said cut-off bridge section using said jack means;
• and
• moving said cut-off bridge section out of the area of the area of the bridge span by moving said jack means on said cross-beam means.

A system for the demolition of a bridge built upon abutments and in relationship to a single span, with minimum disturbance to traffic under the bridge, comprising:

• at least four vertical removable columns erected on said abutments at opposite corners of said bridge span;
• two cross-beam means raised and removably connected on said columns to permit lifting of a bridge section which is to be cut and removed from the remainder of the bridge, said crossbeam means being separated by the length of said bridge span and lying parallel to its width;
• movable jack means positioned on each of said cross-beam means, connecting means connecting said jack means to the bridge segment to lift said bridge section after it is cut off;
• and
• means for moving said cut-off bridge section out of the area of the bridge span by moving said jack means on said cross-beam means.